A Star Has been blown out
by Blue eyes Red heart
Summary: Au. Jane is abducted by aliens at eight years old leaving a paradox open and decisions waiting to be made. Jane is raised as an Asgardian princess with lessons of all the cosmos, being groomed for a greater destiny than she knows.
1. Chapter 1

**Little earth girls**

They were driving to the planetarium. Tonight Jane was going to see the stars. Her father worked there studying the stars- a passion that he had passed on to his eight year old daughter. Jane was strapped into her seat, her parents laughing, the radio was playing a song that Jane was bopping her head to and making her stuffed octopus with a mustache and monocle dance to.

One second they were laughing and singing the next the car is rolling through the air, glass is shattering right along with her world and Jane can't find her stuffed octopus, or her parents.

She is hanging upside down, tears welling in her eyes and a scream dyeing in her throat. Her hands shook as she waited, waited scared for her father to come, he never did and when her patience ran out Jane unbuckled her seat belt and carefully turned herself right-side up to balance herself on the roof of the car. She was crying, she couldn't stop crying and the more she thought on it the more she cried. Glass was everywhere. Her mother had taught her about the dangers of broken glass when Jane had once accidentally dropped a cup on the kitchen floor; broken glass can hurt you.

Jane is thankful for her red rubber boots they protected her feet as she inched her way towards the front of the car. Neither of her parents had offered any kind of words to calm her and when she looked over the seat the child understood immediately why. Her father was gone, and her mother was asleep.

The child adjusted herself to climb up and to her mother's side, "mommy." She whispered through the tears and when her mother did not immediately turn towards her; Jane crawled the rest of the way through and turned her mother's face so she was looking at her. Her mother's face was covered in blood. Her soft brown hair sticking to the blood and Jane in panic swept the hair from her mother's face and tried to remove the blood with the back of her hand. Her mother had taken care of her when she bleed, and the eight year old was sure she could do the same. Her mother's eyes opened just barley and a small smile pulled at her lips.

"Jane, honey, get mom's purse and then out of the car if you can. Get mommy's phone and dial 911, just like we practiced." Her mother was looking at her like she was the bravest girl in the world and Jane nodded.

"Okay." Was all she could manage as she crouched next to her suspended mother and stared into the most beautiful face she had ever known.

"Jane, my purse! The yellow one." Her mother said again it was a command and there was an urgency to her voice. Jane looked around and found it in the back seat, on the ceiling.

"Mommy, I'll be right back, please don't die." Jane made a demand of her own, crawling over the broken glass and out the car. She crouched next to her mother's side where the window was her small little hand pressed against the only remaining enacted glass before she opened the yellow purse to look for her mother's phone.

Jane heard a growl behind her an unearthly warning, a wild dog, but her already frantic heart panicked just as her fingers curled around the phone, then she heard the growl again and as she turned to look towards the sound light engulfed her and she once more screamed in fear, her little hands reaching out once more towards her mother.

**The perfect child**

It was another glorious feast for a might Thor's triumph. The wine was flowing the women were flirting and Loki was sulking. He hated these parties. Always throw for Thor's heroic deeds.

Never mind Loki's own diplomatic solutions- no the quiet victor never got a mighty feast thrown in his favor. That is why when Thor is going through the retelling of his heroic battle once more for the third time that night Loki could only grin wickedly when all father raised his hand in the middle of Thor's finest moment to demand silence.

The King stood and the room immediately silenced-it was clear he could hear something the rest of them could not. "The feast is over. Frigga call for the horses, we are needed at the gate." All father ordered and the room immediately parted way for their king and queen.

"Father, should I come too?" Thor asked standing to follow his king.

"No." Odin commanded leaving a room full of people to wonder what exactly was happening at the gate.

Loki blended in to the shadows and covered his footsteps as he retired to his rooms. Not even remotely interested in what was happening only happy it ruined Thor's party.

Odin made it to the gate in record time, Frigga at his heels she did not question him, knowing all would be explained soon enough. Heimdall is there at his post to greet them, a wee lass in his arms crying hysterically.

"Mommy! Mommy! She's hurt I have call 911" The child repeated for the hundredth time, but the large dark skinned man in armor simply hugged her and remained silent. Jane heard the horses approach and looked up to find an old man on a black horse and a woman that looked a bit older than her mom on a white one , then she noticed the golden city behind her and the rainbow bridge under her feet, then she cried even louder.

"I'm dead!" She declared at eight Jane was smart enough to know that rainbow bridges and golden cities could only exist in heaven, and while she wasn't really sure where that was she knew dead people went there.

The woman looked horrified. "No you're not! You are in Asgard." The woman with golden hair corrected kindly, but Jane knew that tone, it was the mother voice.

"Is my mom dead?" She asked point blank and the man holding her made the first sound since she appeared out of light.

"I am sorry little one, but she is, so is your father. But Odin and Frigga they could be your parents." Heimdall boldly declared.

The king looked furious and the little girl was eyeing them was particular dislike.

"I would like to go home now." She said as kindly as she could through her sobs. "Uncle will take care of me." She boldly claimed. Heimdall shook his head and walked over and dumped the girl into Frigga's lap.

"My king I need to have a word with you." Heimdall requested kneeling. The king looked at him with his one eye.

"I need more than that one with you." The king declares coldly sliding from his horse and following Heimdall into the Bi frost.

The little girl is looking up at Frigga with a red face and swollen eyes from her night filled with tears. Frigga looks back down at the girl with love and patience and she knows that once more, something has stolen her heart. The queen of Asgard knows it is unlikely that Odin will allow this human child to stay. His opinion of the mortals is so low, but this girl has strength of will and spirit even if she is just a wisp of a thing.

Frigga tucks a strand of chestnut hair behind the girl's ear as the child stares up at her with defiant eyes. Clearly determined to not need a new mother, but Frigga will win the child over, she always does. The queen sings a lullaby one of lost and sorrow of eternal love, of fallen loved ones that become stars to guide and watch over us. The girl is crying again silent tears this time and Frigga runs her hands through the child's filthy hair. She's covered in blood, dirt and sorrow and the girl needs a little solace right now that is what Frigga gives her and when the child's breaths become even and her body relaxes against her own, Frigga knows the little girl has fallen asleep.

Odin stays in Council with Heimdall for twenty minutes then they both walk out and Odin climbs on top his horse, he looks over to his wife holding the sleeping child, and his hand rest on the girl's head for a second, an action of acknowledgement that shocks Frigga. He just conceded that a human child would be his daughter. He nods to Heimdall, and Heimdall kneels again bowing his head in service to the realm before standing and once more taking up his guard.

It had been a very late night, therefore when Thor and Loki are summoned the following morning by All Father they know that whatever had transpired last night was not good.

Loki waits in the foyer for Thor knowing there is no point to go inside without his brother, Odin would not be persuaded to tell either of them anything until they were both there, or more the king wouldn't tell Loki anything until Thor was there. The oaf joined him with a yawn. "What have your sources been whispering in your ear this morning, brother?" Thor asks.

Loki shakes his head, "I know nothing of why he called us, and must be urgent." Loki replied clearly upset over his own lack of knowledge.

"Well together we can conquer anything." Thor announces throwing his arm around Loki and pulling him into the throne room. Odin is seated where he sets and Frigga is standing where she always stands. Loki offers his mother a fleeting glace noticing her skirt sway and a small round face peeks around with wide curious brown eyes- a child. She was a pretty little thing and Loki watches as her eyes fill will fear with his and Thors approach. Loki simply shook his head and looked at his father, the child must be a new student or worker.

"Thor, Loki..." All father commanded his sons to look at him and then All Father looked over to Frigga and was waving her over, or... No he was waving the child over. Loki looked to Thor whom looked just as confused as he did, then they both watched as the child once more peeked around Frigga and the tiny head shook. Soft chestnut hair fanning out like silk denying the king's silent command. The king again waved her over without a word and Frigga placed a reassuring hand on the child's back urging her toward Odin. The child was small so fragile looking in her blue dress with her brown hair decorated with ribbons. Her eyes again held fear as she looked at the kneeling men, then she seemed to make her brave decision and scampering over to Odin who took her hand in his own then shockingly of all pulled the child up and placed her on his knee. A place neither of his sons had ever been allowed to sit. The king was looking at the child kindly, he swept her hair off her should and then turned once more to his sons.

"Your sister, Jane." He declared shocking both his sons who simply looked at her like she was the worst enemy either man had ever faced.

"How could she be our sister? Mother, you have not had any...did you cheat on mother!" Thor exclaimed looking shocked and angry over the possibility.

"We adopted her, not in blood, Thor, but she is from this moment on a member of this family and your sister." Frigga explained. The child looked like a frightened rabbit ready to bolt.

"Why? Clearly she's human. You hate Midgard, why would you take one of their children as your own." Loki asked clearly offended his family could be sullied in such a way.

"You are scaring her. She is a babe in comparison to your existence. Do not ever speak of her that way again, do you understand." Odin demands looking at Loki with anger and scorn, nothing new on that end.

Loki simply sulks eyeing the beautiful child with intense dislike. He swore to hate her, perhaps even more than Thor- she, who in less than a day had both mother and father's love.

"She will always be a babe in comparison to my existence." Loki spits out standing in his insolence and turning with a billow of his green cloak to walk out of the room.

"Does He needs a nap?" The child whispered just as his hands reached for the door but Loki could hear her stupid comment before he left this ridiculous sight. That human was not his sister.

"No he's always in a bad mood. I am your brother Thor." The god of Thunder introduces himself holding out his hand. The child slides off Odin's knee and takes the giant man's hand, it engulfs her own, he looks very strong.

"My name is Jane, are you going to hate me too?" She asks with a wobbly voice.

"Loki doesn't hate you, he just doesn't like anyone, including me. Some brothers are like that, other brothers love you no matter what." Thor declares with a smile that reminds Jane of the sun.

The child's face scrunches and she is obviously thinking about that. "Well then since he is the brother that hates me will you be the brother that loves me?" she asks simply and Thor laughs, he sweeps her up in his large arms and touches his forehead to her own, "Of course, my Lady Jane, I swear to always love you." It's the first time the child smiles in her new home, her small hand resting against Thor's unshaven cheek.

Odin has never been more proud of his oldest son then in that moment.

Thor takes her to the practice yard, promising Frigga and Odin she will be safe. He sets her on top of his shoulders and the big man brashly introduces her to everyone they meet. "This is my new sister Jane!" The announcement is made with an authority that no one dares to argue with and later that day the royal announcement is made that Odin and Frigga have in fact adopted a daughter.

Thor is excited when he introduces her to his friends; Lady Sif and the Warriors three. There is Fradral that is the prettiest, Volstagg who is the biggest and Hogun who is the fastest. They all treat her with courtesy and when Thor throws her up on top of one of the ledges out of the way but still with a front row seat, Jane thinks that watching them train is better that television. Sif is her favorite- she is beautiful and strong and so very fast and can hold her own against all the men.

When they are done they go to lunch and Sif lets Jane hold her hand all the way there. Thor thinks this is cute and he asks Jane how old she is, eight she tells them. They all look at her like she is crazy. "Eight hundred." Hogun corrects and Jane looks at him like his insane.

"She is human. Eight and very small, but if you like maybe we could teach you to shoot a bow. Or hold a knife." Thor smiles warmly, the rest of them are looking at her like she is made of glass.

"Thor I don't..." Sif began to protest but Thor looked at her with his blue eyes.

"Every Asgardian need to know how to defend themselves especially weak ones. For now I am her champion." Thor tells this friends and Jane smiles delighted that Thor is her brother. She has never had siblings and other children thought her odd.

"We are her champions." Fradral announces and the warrior threes make a cheer and Jane smiles brightly at her new friends.

**I'm not a troublemaker**

The first time Jane gets into trouble in her new home is on the night of the light festivals. They tell her it's for adults only, the passing of the lights a remembrance to those lost.

Frigga sets her up to she can see the sky from a balcony and tells her to stay put.

The thing is Jane rarely stayed put when she was told, it was a quick lesson her parents had learned, because Jane had always been a climber. A climber on top of a counter and to the frig as a baby, a climber to the top of a friends bunk bed to get a toy, a climber of trees to hid from mean kids, and of roof tops to see the stars. So how could she resist climbing up the side of the palace to a waiting roof top to watch the Aurora lights, she had seen them in pictures and while Asgard called them something else, Jane father had loved stars and Jane could name every consolation, comet, and astronomical phenomena from as early as three. She could see the torch lights the whole city as it gathered on the sacred ground to remembered lost loved ones. And while her parents died on Earth Jane watched the dancing lights in awe- convinced her parents where among them reminding her they were still there watching over her.

She feels the wind whip around her and the sky darkens thunder booms off in the distance and she hears yelling. She looks over the side of the building and there standing on the balcony looking up in her in a panic is her new family.

"Jane, stay there I will come get you." Thor demands. Frigga looks scared out of her mind and Odin is urging his oldest son to hurry least the child fall to her death.

"No! " Loki's tone is ice as he places a hand on Thor's chest his lip curls and he looks up and sneers at her. "She climbed up there, she can climb down." He says coldly.

Frigga is looking at him like his a monster and Odin is unusually silent his one eye on the child.

"Unhand me." Thor commands pushing out of Loki's way and swinging his hammer.

But the child is already climbing back down her feet finding the path as she swings her way back onto the balcony landing in a crouch, she is in Frigga's embrace before she can stand.

"Never climb that high again." Frigga scolds ushering the girl out of the room. Thor and Odin look like their hearts are about to give out.

"Wasn't that high the lights were beautiful, the swirling colors; is the solar eclipse going to take place soon?" The child asked as her voice faded down the hall way.

"Eight measly human years and she is already far more graceful than most Asgardian women. That was 30 feet. "Loki whistles, like his impressed before walking out of the room leaving the two men speechless.

Jane was grounded to her rooms for a week, she was only allowed to go to meals with her parents and classes since she could already read and write in English they decided she needed to learn Norwegian. She has other class, ones to learn to stitch and to read the history's. This was a waste of time because every night after dinner Odin would tell her a story and she learned far more of history from his knee than she did any of her teachers. She wasn't allowed to see Thor or any of her new friends she was so bored so she did what she normally did when she was bored, she started to take things apart and put them back together.

Most things in her room, snapped together and with the right leverage snapped apart, nothing required nails or screws and the first thing Jane took apart was the hologram clock sitting on her nightstand, then there was the heating element to her bed, and constellation hologram that lit up her bedroom ceiling. It was the last one that Frigga caught her taking apart.

"What are you doing?" Frigga asked clearly shocked by the parts that were lined up on the floor.

"Seeing how it works." Jane tells the queen looking up at her upset face. Jane doesn't understand why Frigga is so mad.

"You broke it. I gave that to you because of what you told me about your parent and you broke it." Frigga was distraught and Jane looked confused.

"Not broken. I will put it back together and it will be fine." Jane reassured. Frigga didn't look convinced but she watched the child's curiosity and decided that clearly she needed more lessons perhaps ones about stars and numbers.

"Jane put it back together." Frigga demanded, Jane looked upset because it was apparent the queen meant right that moment.

"But I haven't finished taking it apart. Can I please finish?" Jane asked looking up with sad eyes.

"I want it put back together by dinner." Frigga amended. Jane smiles and nodded. Frigga let the girl alone, deciding that if it was still broken at dinner she would cross that bridge then.

Jane brought the Constellation hologram to dinner with her to show Frigga she had put it back together and she wanted to show her the few amendments she had made to the programming.

They all had their own seats and tonight it was apparent that Thor and Loki would be joining them. Jane smiled brightly setting the device on the table before throwing herself in her brother's arms. "Thor!"

She was so happy to see him. He gave the best hugs and he kissed her head, "Mother told me you were breaking things in your room." Thor tell her with a small smile clearly he found it funny.

"I didn't break anything." Jane argued wiggling out of Thor's arms and grabbing the Constellation hologram before taking her seat to Odin's right, next to Thor. Frigga sat across from her and Loki sat to Frigga's right with an amused smirk.

"Seem I'm not the naughty one anymore." He declares. Looking at the child with apparent delight that she would cause trouble. Jane placed the device in the middle of the table and glared at Loki and Frigga.

"I didn't break it." She repeated flipping the switch on and the hologram lit up Asgardian sky filling the room in breath taking accuracy that made Frigga look up in awe and Thor smile his sunshine smile.

Odin was looking at their ward with confusion and Loki was glaring at the little girl with open hostility. Then the dancing lights of the Auras spiraled out fanning across the sky a feature that had not been there before.

"I might have made a few adjustments. Does Halley's Comet pass through these skies it does on Earth every 75 years and was supposed to shoot by the night my parents died, I would like to see it." Jane says. As the Aura lights fade and the beauty of the Asgaurdian sky remains. "I don't know any of these stars either, I would like to know their names." Jane asks switching the machine off and staring at her new family expectantly.

Everyone is looking at her like she is strange- This she is used to.

"How did you know how to…?" Frigga didn't seem able to finish her question.

"My father. We would take things apart see how they work and put those back together or fix things. Dad could build things, he was going to build me a telescope for my birthday." Jane sounded sad but in awe over her father's skills.

"We will encourage this and Loki, you will teach your sister about the stars." Odin declares. Loki looks like he would rather be gutted by a boar. But it was the king's rule and no one was to argue. Jane smiled at him clearly excited. He made sure to glare darkly at her. She stood and threw her arms around All Father giving him a hug. The corner of Odin's lip twitched up before he patted the girls back.

"Thank you!" The child at least had manners. They ate dinner to Jane and Thor's prattling and Loki could only sulk, at how she won over everyone so easily and how he was determined to not fall for her innocent charms. Jane would never be his sister.

She was, however, an advent student.

Jane is cleaver and she soaks up everything like a sponge hungry for more. He tries to be remain rigged and cold and he makes impossible lesson plans that Asgardian children would struggle with, but she simply does the work memorizes what he tells her and reads all the books he assigns as homework.

Therefore, he is shocked to find her at the campfire with Thor and his friends sitting on Thor's lap as the oaf tunes his Lute and the child is chatting with Sif. They had class early the next morning and he had assigned her four books to read before tomorrow, he had done so on purpose so she wouldn't be able to crash the warrior's camp fire.

"Loki! You made it."

"The child should be in bed." Is Loki's reply to Thor's joyful welcoming. Loki is glaring at said child who is trying to melt into the god of Thunder's embrace.

Thor looks taken back.

"We are celebrating and since she is too young to go to the banquets I am bringing the life of the party to her. Tonight is a special night after all tomorrow, our sister is nine!" Thor declares hugging her tightly.

This is something Loki has no real argument for. "I'm sure mother has something planned for tomorrow then, nine is still a child." Loki argues.

"Sit, brother, be merry tonight Jane is not your responsibility." Thor declares turning his attention from Loki and to the cherub in his arms. Everyone else, however, is staring at Loki like he is heartless.

"Did you finish your reading?" Loki tries a different angle. Speaking to the child herself. Jane look up at him with her wide brown eyes.

"Of course." She tells him and he the god of mischief can't tell if she is lying or not. He gives her a threatening look that she misses because she has already turned her attention back to Thor and his lute.

"Loki, Jane is as serious in her studies as you, if she said she has completed her work, then she has." Thor again stands up for the child and Loki realizes he has been beat. Thor will have his way.

Loki sits in the shadow, away from the campfire and Sif and the warrior's three's attentions move back to Thor as he starts to play, Hogun pulls out his flute, and Volstagg his drum and Loki know Fradral will sing- it's a scene he has witnessed to many times, only Thor leans over and whispers in Jane's ear she smiles. The Loki is left breathless watching as she takes the vocals and sings a Norse lullaby it is one that stuns him into stillness as he watches the shadows of the fire and how his focus shifts from the shadows to the light and the little human girl always dressed in blue sitting in Thor's lap with soft brown hair decorated with ribbons sings like a little song bird.

She reminds him of a glass doll. So pretty dressed up like a princess with her chestnut hair that he wishes to run his fingers through and has no right to touch. She will be dead in a blink of an eye and he hates her in a way that out shines even his perfect brother. Thor plays two songs that Jane sings the second a more liver tune and she smiles as the music picks up the tempo laughing while she sings and Loki can only glare when Fandral stands and offers his arm to the glass doll who takes it as she is swept up and under the handsome warrior's arm. She is twirled and she laughs and the music continues as her vocals are lost to her laughter of delight as she is lead through a simple dance and twirled about. Her hair fanning out along with silk blue skirts Loki watches her hair and he sees the ribbons fan out too, silver and gold ribbons and Loki closes his eyes against the painful scene one that will burn in his head for all eternity. Long after her light has been extinguished.

Jane's ninth birthday is a small family affair a simple dinner and gift exchange. Odin gives her a book of his bed time stories ones his already told and ones he has yet to get to. Frigga gives her a little knife with an elegant holster to loop in her belt and words of caution. Loki gives her a leather pouch with tools inside organized and fitted snugly in their case. "So you can break more things." He tells her with a smirk. Her excitement is evident as she smiles happily at him her small hands touching the pearl handles of the tools with care. Then Thor gives his present and she squeals with delight, her book and tools forgot as the warrior places the red pup in her arms. Thor got her a dog. A wild creature with sharp teeth it's thin body muscular and spoke of strength. Jane immediately loved it and when the beast licked her face she again laughed.

"He is a big responsibility but he will make a good guard. I have trained him myself and he will be your champion when I cannot." Thor tells her the pup in her arms as she looks up at Thor with loving eyes, the god of thunders' big hand caressing her small cheek practically engulfing her head. Loki grinds his teeth and he feels the hate again as he watches them.

Jane names her pup Orion and the next day Jane takes apart a main power grid to the infirmary using Loki's birthday gift and Thor's as a look out. She is still caught and Frigga grounds her for a week. Loki spends that week teaching her whatever she wants to learn.

A month later Thor calls war and preparations are made for the brothers to leave along with all of the friends Jane has made.

She tries not to cry but her silent tears fail her as they all tell her goodbye and leave her for glorious battle.

Thor gives her a kiss on the head and tells her to be good. Fandral demands she save him a dance, Hogun tells her to practice her bow he expects her to be a fair shot when he returns. Volstagg gives her a warm smile and tells her he will miss her songs. Sif hugs her, it is shocking to everyone because Sif is not emotional the warrior woman says nothing she simply hugs the child and turns and walks out the room.

All that is left is Loki and he is standing there looking at his student wondering how long they will be gone, if he will ever see her again, will she die before they get back. "Keep to you studies." He commands then turns to leave. A small hand to his cloak stops him and when he turns to tell her of her insolence she hugs him. Her arms around his waist and her head on his stomach and she is so warm and fragile as she holds him. He doesn't know what to do, his arms hesitate out at his sides and he is caught between shrugging her off and wrapping his arms around her, to run his long fingers through her hair. They are alone and he looks around, his arms relax as the door bangs open.

"Come Loki!" Thor demands from the door way and Jane lets him go steps back and looks up at him with sad eyes.

"Thank you for showing me the stars, brother." She tells him. He glares at her the corner of his mouth twitches into a sneer.

"I am not your brother." He tells her his voice silk coated in venom. She has the gull to smile at him.

"Be safe!" she calls before turning and running from the room, neither Thor nor Loki know to whom she is speaking both assuming she was addressing the other.

But Jane had been commanding both of them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Home again…**

They are gone for five years, Loki tries to remember what that means for humans. What does fourteen mean when they return home will Jane still be a little girl or will she be an old woman. It is hard for Loki to remember.

They arrive with glorious welcoming parading through the streets as citizens cheer their victory. They have not lost any men and Thor is smiling waving to all of his people. Loki wants a shower to change and to see his mother and student. They arrive to the throne room and All father is waiting for them, mother standing where she stands and Jane is nowhere in sight, the little glass doll could not have broken. Loki feels the panic as Thor greets their parents and asks about his sister.

"She was out riding, I sent word you will see her tonight at your celebration. Your sister is in good health." Odin informs and then asks about the battle. Thor retells the story as Loki rolls his eyes and slips out of the room something's never change.

Loki is walking to his room when he sees her running down the hall in a white linen dress with blue ribbons she is smiling and she's bare foot a large red hound running at her side the creature as tall as her waist. Then he hears a woman scolding and that smiling face turns to look behind her and Loki's world suddenly is in slow motion. He knows that face, that bright smile and that fanning brown hair with ribbons.

"Jane." He says her name, but it can't be her because the girl standing there in the middle of the hall being scolded by a staff member is a young girl not a child, her head tilted just so in an indulging way like she is listening and discarding everything the woman is telling her. Jane's eyes shift and Loki realizes he is walking towards her, when had his feet decided that?

His watching her as her eyes widen and she smiles so brightly clearly ignoring the staff member that now is watching him with disapproving eyes. Jane launches herself towards him and moments later her arms are wrapped around his ribs, her head against his chest and she is so fragile in his arms that Loki is confused on how this little glass doll could have gotten older. It was her, but not her. His arms again out to the sides her hair motionless and his fingers twitch, she looks up at him and is so happy she gives him another small squeeze before Loki gives in his arms moving to encircle her his hand ghosting her hair, he notices the flowers intertwined with the silk strands and the smudge of dirt on her nose, clearly she has been up to no good, he smiles when a booming voice interrupts the moment.

"Jane!" Thor calls to his sister and she is out of Loki's arms being lifted in the air and swung around by the blond warrior, before Thor folds her into his embrace and kisses her head. And that is how Loki realizes he sees her. Always in motion, her hair fanned out, billowing blue skirts, dancing in the light, and never still long enough for him to touch. But Thor throws his arms up and she swings into the huge man's embrace like such big arms were made to hold her. Loki turns and leaves them to their moment, both of them already too busy catching up to notice his absence.

Loki is sulking in the shadows watching the party in Thor's honor with a sneer. He doesn't hear the approach but the butterfly soft touch on his shoulder shock him and his been at war for five years his warrior instinct has someone pressed harshly against a wall his body pinned them in place his fingers laced across their throat and their wrist restrained in one of his hands above their head, he looks down with a sneer and fear filled brown eyes look up at him. He doesn't move, his forgotten how to breath. An animal is growling from behind them and Loki curses.

"You're hurting me." Jane whispers her body trembling when he doesn't immediately let go of her, his fingers around her throat relax but don't move, and she is sure he presses himself into her more. She tries to keep from crying, for the first time she is truly afraid of the man before her.

"Nobody sneaks up on me." He growls and she is looking up at him with unshed tears.

"I wasn't trying to." Jane vowed looking up with as much bravery as she could muster. He was always so mean, even when she was trying to be his sister he treated her like she was his enemy.

"We are not rivals. Thor and I, we aren't your enemy." It sounds like she is trying to reassure him.

"You're nothing." Loki sneers, "but Thor...two sons both born to be kings. There is only one throne, you're a smart girl." Loki tells her icily.

His fingers spread across her throat and then slide back releasing his hold, his body no longer presses into her but still uncomfortably close.

"There are six throne." She whispers like he is the fool and he feels it because his supposed to be smart and his never thought of that.

"I don't like you." He tells her emotionless, it's a lie and he knows it's a lie but she smiles when he tells her that.

"You don't have to, Thor likes me. Frigga likes me, Odin likes me, and you don't like anyone. I wouldn't dream to be so special to be the only person you did like. It must be terribly lonely, to be as loved as you are, Loki, and to love no one in return. I think that is one of those things that make me different that make me human, I don't have the time to waste on those that don't want my affection." She tells him pushing past him and joining the party.

Loki is left in the shadow with only his thoughts as his friends.

He thinks this party is the worst one he has ever attended as Thor clumsy twirls Jane around the dance floor. The man is too big and she is too small, so incredibly fragile. Loki flexed his fingers again remembering the way the glass doll felt against him, too fragile.

She was laughing and jumping and twirling and in motion. Her hair fanning out with ribbons in it and she wore a blue gown with silver and gold embroidery flowers across the neckline and along the hem. She didn't belong at this celebration as the warriors drank and the women flirted.

Loki can't tear his eyes from her.

Thor goes to fill his glass and Jane finds the warriors three, they hug and laugh and then Jane is whispering in Fandral's ear and he nods with a conspiring smile, before Jane runs off.

Loki watches as Fandral whispers to his comrades and then he watches Jane approach Sif with a gentleness Loki didn't know the warrior woman possessed she hugs Jane, Sif sweeping soft brown hair from the young girls face as the warrior woman blushed and shakes her head. Jane was pleading, tugging on the woman's hand and before Loki figures out what was transpiring Jane had Sif out on the dance floor with her and for the first time in two thousand years the warrior woman danced.

Sif was not nearly as graceful dancing as she was fighting but the smile on Jane's face urged the woman on and they weaved in and out of each other's arms and a small smile pulled at Sif's mouth. Then Jane switched directions and Loki could see the path before the collision took place, Jane threading under Sif's arm the warrior woman turning just as Fandral was leading Thor through the dance floor and Sif twirled into Thor's embrace, her hands upon Thor's chest as she looked up clearly embarrassed.

"Thor!" The warrior woman was shocked and Jane was there holding onto Sif and Thor's hand looking up at them both with an innocent smile.

"Brother will you dance with us?" Jane asked sweetly and Thor still holding onto the warrior woman blushed and nodded.

Then Jane took their hands and lead them through weavers dance, twisting turning and twirling under arms as a whole, "Fandral, come join us!" Jane called out to the handsome man that stood there awkwardly watching, he shrug and joined hands and the four of them danced together as a group. Jane was laughing and everyone seemed to want to please her and when the music changed she twisted out and into Fandral's arms, leaving Thor and Sif to dance just the two of them as the music slowed. Thor politely took Sif's hip in his hand and pulled her close and danced the rest of the evening with her.

Fandral and Jane smiled at one another danced one more song then went and sat on top a table to watch the pair of warriors romance. Jane sighed as Fandral handed her a glass of cider before throwing his arm around Jane's shoulder and letting her lean into his side. Women all over the room eyeing Fandral with what sweet attention he was showing the little princess.

Loki watched in horror as Fandral's fingers threaded through brown hair decorated with ribbons in a tender way his loving eyes on the glass doll in his arms.

**Young girl's crush**

Jane thought herself in love with the stable boy.

His name was Alaric and he took grand care of her horse, Medea, and always had a treat for Orion and time for the princess.

He was the only one around that looked remotely her age, though he looked to be a human 16 she knew he was really several hundred years older than her, didn't mean he couldn't be her first kiss.

He was handsome with dark brown curls and soulful brown eyes, he played the fiddle and had a smile that was only overshadowed by Thor's. He was smart too. He could talk to the horses and discuss the stars and he was the only person that would race her through the field bare back. Alaric never looks at her like she's breakable and she thinks that is why she truly fancies herself in love with him.

They ride through the meadow most mornings and have a picnic in the grass. Jane picks a handful of wildflowers and weaves them together in a crown before placing them on her head. Alaric is watching her with serious eyes and Jane thinks now is as good of time as any. She leans over and kisses him on the mouth, his lips are soft and she takes her hands and places them on his cheeks in attempt to deepen the kiss, he pushes her off him and looks at her horrified.

She has never been more embarrassed in all her life. "I thought..." She suddenly couldn't form words.

"A princess of Asgard does not kiss stable boys." Alaric tells her his eyes down cast looking at his feet, they are still sitting on the picnic blanket and Jane can only look at him confused.

"I like you. That doesn't matter. I don't care, I'm adopted as they all keep reminding me, not a real princess." She tells him like explaining this makes his statement irrelevant.

"Adoptive, brought here no doubt to marry a prince, to be my Queen." He says this bitterly and she can't help but glare shaking her head.

"No, I..." she begins to argue because his statement doesn't make sense. "I don't know why I was brought here. But Thor should marry Sif. They will be king and queen." She explains. Alaric looks up at her with an expression Jane doesn't understand.

"Two princes, Jane." he tells her like telling secrets and Jane is so horrified by the comment she stands with a huff.

"If you don't like me like that it's fine, no need to be cruel." She shouts racing over and jumping on her horse riding off as Alaric shouts her name, for her to come back.

Jane arrives at the stable and leaves her horse in the stable masters hands running up to the palace, her eyes are red from her crying and she forgets about the flowers in her hair and grass on her skirts. Loki intercepts her his imposing figure blocking her path, she looks up at him with red eyes her sadness has turned into anger, mostly at herself.

"Where have you been?" He demands harshly not caring about her tears.

"I was out riding like every morning." He tells him with a challenging glare.

"I waited for you for most the morning, what of your lessons?" He asks clearly upset to be inconvenienced.

"You have been gone for five years, things change, and you are no longer my teacher." She tells him pushing past him, he grabs her arm to halt her and when she turns with a glare, he smiles coldly at her.

"You will meet me every morning for your lessons unless I am called away, do you understand?" He demands.

"No, I don't want anything to do with you." She tells him. His grip on her arm tightens and his eyes darken, then he lets her go and walks away from her without another word.

Loki follows the path she had just taken, he had watched her running from the stables and he wants to know why she was so upset. He finds the stable master rubbing down her mare and he tells Loki about the stable boy, how the princess and boy had become friends.

The boy is sitting out back washing a saddle when Loki approaches him. "Good morning, Prince Loki" The boy greets looking up with his dark brown eyes, which too are filled with tears.

Loki doesn't care about the boy's tears. "Why was Princess Jane crying?" Loki asks in his most intimidating voice the one that people were smart to heed.

The boy shook his head and rubbed the back of his hand across his brow. "We went out riding, and a picnic, she kissed me. I told her princess don't kiss stable boys and she ran off crying. Its better that way, I asked to be transferred to Dove's Stables when I got back. I don't want any trouble." The boy looked up and Loki could see what the boy wouldn't say, that despite his words, the stable boy was in love with his Jane.

"I suggest you make sure your transfer goes through, horses can be unpredictable beasts, it would be a shame if something possessed them." Loki threated and the boy paled nodding in understanding. Loki sneered. Before leaving to find his student, it seemed his glass doll needed a lesson in who was deserving of her love and who was not.

**Obsolete **

Loki goes to Frigga about Jane's education. Frigga smiles warmly and lets her youngest son know that while his concern is gallant there is no need to worry, Odin had found only the best teachers in all the nine realms to teach Jane. And in many ways she has already surpassed Loki's own knowledge, and there is nothing else he can offer her. Loki is offended and Frigga tries to explain that Loki provided a good foundation but his magic limits Jane's understanding. She has no magic so she cannot understand the universe with the laws of Loki's magic. That Odin has become very creative in Jane's education and that she flourishes in her studies. Loki is still insulted. But Frigga pats his cheek lovingly and sends him on his way.

Loki goes to Odin and it becomes painfully clear that while Frigga was a slave to her youngest son's education Odin has in fact acquired some of the best tutors in the galaxy to educate his adoptive daughter. The kind of education that Loki envied and would never had been granted. She had spent two years with the light elves on Alfheim and a year with the dwarfs of Nidavellir, A mystic from Gallifrey came and tutored her for 18 months. Now she has spent one day a week at the feet of Heimhall learning the secrets of the Bi Frost since her return home for the past year, a lesson plan that was to continue until Jane's twenty first name day. Valborg the wise was to arrive in Jane's 16 year and stay in Asgard for unknown time to tutor the human princess. Really it was all a bit too much and completely unfair. If Loki was envious of Thor he consumed with jealousy over this little glass doll.

None of it was fair and Loki didn't understand- he was never strong enough, always in Thor's shadow, never a proper warrior but he was always smarter and now even that is taken from him by his father's proud hands and handed to a fragile mortal that will die taking such wisdom to the grave. It will all have been wasted, she was a waste and Loki knows he will truly learn hate when she dies

His sulking in the shadows, watching as Thor and his stupid friends train. The moment he sees her there is nothing else and he watches as she climbs down in a strange outfit that is pants but looks like a skirt, it's all blue and it fits her too tight, the fabric stretching with her as she swings down on to the railing and balances like a graceful bird. Her hair is pulled back in a braid and Loki only sees the little girl dancing in the fire light with ribbons in her hair.

"My Lady!" Fandral is standing in front of her his arms our reached to help her down, she places her hands on the handsome man's shoulders and allows his hands to span her hips lifting her from her perch and placing her on the ground. Loki has no doubt she hadn't need of the help but the blush on her cheeks make Loki bite the inside of his cheek.

Loki was here to train, not watch immortals flirt with dead girls.

"I trust you have been practicing with your bow?" Hogun asks with a friendly smile, Jane nods and pulls the bow off her back, taking an arrow from her quiver and shooting it at Loki's face. Loki catches the arrow and can't help but smile.

He steps out of the shadow and everyone gasps, Jane simply glares at him. "Sulking in the shadows again, brother?" She asks, Thor laughs and everyone else is watching to see what he will do.

"The target is over there, little bird." Loki purrs pointing to the archery practice yards as he walked over towering over Jane, slipping her arrow back into the quiver on her back.

"Not bad shooting, but how is your hand to hand combat?" He asks a very bad idea in his head, she clearly sees it as she dodges to the left and runs like the devil is after her. And he is, because she shot an arrow at his face and she gets to learn and his pissed that she is going to die.

The others look at him like his crazy, Thor is yelling at him to leave her alone and little Jane is half way up the wall when he gets ahold of her ankle and pulls her back down to land with the wind knocked out of her in the practices yard.

Loki quickly weaves a magic barrier trapping just her and him inside so the others can't interfere. Jane looks up and knows she's trapped, knows she has no choice but to face him but to what end. What was he trying to prove, he was looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to make the first move, she looked up and quickly surveyed her surroundings and there in the corner was the knot to his magic. While they had been playing warrior for the past five years she had been studding and there was always a trace, a way out when spells were woven, she had learned that from the light elves. So she gathered her courage and ignored Thor's cries of outrage, Sif's threats and focused on Loki.

He was fast true but she was faster. She ran right towards him and he sneered clearly having expected that- only she didn't dodge down, try and slide under his legs like he was obviously expecting, when he moved to catch her she used his arm to hoist herself up into the air climbing him like a tree and using his shoulder as leverage, and pull the knife her mother gave her on her ninth name day, a small knife that would cut through anything, and she ran it down Loki's spell hitting the weakest stop, she landed in a crouching position and before she can stand she is being thrown into a wall. Long pale fingers wrapped around her throat, his free hand holding her hand with the weapon, her feet are off the ground and Loki is choking her, her free hand grips his arm to try and give her the leverage to not be strangled and his eyes are red his sneer mean and she does the only thing she can think of to balance herself, she hooks her legs over his hips and pulls him closer. Her air way opens just a little as her body's weigh is distributed and Loki's red eyes shift back to green looking down at her in surprise.

"You're hurting me." She whispers, his fingers relax but do not move, and he is looking down at her confused.

"You are going to die." He tells her and she looks at him with fear, "I should just kill you, save everyone the pain of watching your death."

She is now confused. "Then they will hate you. And then you will truly be alone." She whispers silently willing him to let her go, only his pulled off her and slammed into the ground, Fandral is there to catch her hoisting her up in his arms like precious cargo and Thor is pummeling his brother into the ground.

Fandral and Sif take Jane to the infirmary and leave Thor to take care of Loki, after all his the only one that can. Jane looks over Fandral's shoulder watching as Thor turns brute and Loki is laughing like it's all a big joke blood dripping down his chin goading Thor's wrath.

Jane asks Odin to send her away, the Water Falls to Valborg instead of him coming here she could go there, or the Fallen Star with the Seven just for a few years then she would return. Odin asks her about her lessons with Heimhall and Jane just shrugs tells him she will continue those when she returns, she desperate to leave and when Thor tells his parents about Loki's behavior in the practice yard, they understand why.

Only Loki is sent away and Jane is kept at home.

There is no far well parade or family gathering to send Loki off. Odin and Thor escort Loki to Heimhall and tell him he is banished from Asgard for the next ten years and if his a good boy and doesn't cause trouble they may allow him to come home sooner.

He laughs at them like they are a joke.

"The child has made you all soft. She needs to die." He declares to his father and brother's face both of them looking at him with shame and dishonor.

"She's not even one of us!" Loki shouts. "Don't you see she is already dead?" Why was he the only one obsessed by her mortality, didn't the rest of them understand, just yesterday she had been a child with ribbons in her hair and he had been too afraid to hold her.

"Loki, the girl does not concern you. You have made your opinions of her clear since I brought her into our home and you shame me with your frozen heart. I don't care where you make your way, but your sister will be kept safe from your wickedness." Odin announces.

"She's not my sister!" Loki practically growls as Heimhall leads him into the Bi Frost and to his banishment.

**Afterthoughts**

Ten years nothing to an immortal, but Loki is surprise on how much he accomplishes in ten years.

Nothing short of a master piece and he has found the simplest solution to the problem that has plagued his mind for the past fifteen years. It had been so blatantly obvious and even now it ate at him how he couldn't have seen the solution so much sooner.

When his ten years of isolation were over Loki stood in the same stop he had been dumped waiting as Heimhall ripped him through the Bi Frost and as he took his first breath of Asgard air he smirked happy to be back in Odin's court. Odin, Thor and Frigga await him; Frigga with open arms and a warm smile, Odin with assessing eyes and a tired frown.

"Brother, vow here that you mean Jane no harm!" Thor demands with cold eyes. Loki smirks with fake insult. "I swear I mean Princess Jane no harm." He declares with silk words and they all look at him like he can't be trusted. It is, however, one oath he will die to up hold.

Jane likes to wonder around the castle with Orion by her side, it's a pass time that keeps them busy and since she is attempting to avoid the returning mischief maker a bit longer she decides to test out her newest invention. She has constructed a pair of spectacles that can see through magic and it's a side of Asgard that no one but her has ever seen. She hears her name being called and she turns with a smile towards Thor's voice but when she looks behind her it is Loki standing in her path. Her breath hitches and tries to hide the fear that washes over her as she pulls the glasses up and Loki turns into Thor, she puts them back on and it's Loki standing there smiling like a snake. Jane takes a step back- she doesn't understand his trick but she has never seen Loki smile with good intent and for her first meeting upon his return to be unchaperoned and with him dressed as Thor can only mean he has returned to fulfill his promise to kill her.

"I brought you a gift." the Loki-Thor tells her pulling an apple out of his pocket and offering it to her. It has been a life time but there are stories about accepting apples from magical people, stories Jane remembers her real mother reading to her a life time ago on Midgard and how it is never a good idea. Jane shakes her head threading her fingers together behind her back, Orian is sitting beside her unaware of the danger.

"Come Jane, it's just a peach." The Loki-Thor tells her again she lifts the glasses and there the apple has changed into a peach.

So death by apple was Loki's plan- it was almost clever.

"I'm not hungry." She tells him like it should matter, if it was Thor it would but this is Loki. She takes three more steps away from him and her back hits a pillar, one that she is familiar with, one she can climb easily.

"Jane?" Her name is a question as he takes a step towards her, she kicks his hand catching him off guard and causing the apple to fly out of his palm, his first instinct is to lean back and catch the apple. Jane uses the distraction to hoist herself up the pillar and onto the balcony terrace overlooking the hall then she runs without looking back to her rooms the only place she would be protected by magic.

As she runs she pushes the receiver on her bracelet and in an instance Orion is teleported to her side, running ahead of her, he was use to traveling that way by now. She invented his collar so he could sit on the roof with her and it came in handy anytime he got lost or left behind.

She made it to her rooms a full minute before Loki began to pound on her door. She had no doubts that he would try to use magic to break in but because of her schooling with the light elves she knew how to naturalize his magic, her room was a fortress against his tricks.

Jane's room, however, are not sound proof and she hears him screaming at her door. "You can't hide in there forever!" He yells her, the door vibrating but not even his strength will help him against Dwarf craftsmanship. She doesn't know what the god of mischief is up to but she will not be his victim.

There is a banquet that night and she knows she is expected to go.

The knife her mother gave her is she strapped to her thigh.

Frigga had a dress made just for tonight one of sky blue that showed off her midriff and had embroidered runes in darker blues along the hem. The skirt was light weight and Jane felt beautiful in it, she felt like a woman and she hoped that tonight Fandral would see her as one.

She placed the spectacles in a soft leather case and hooked that on one of her forearms, and the ice knife she made for Sif on the other Forearm her sleeves would conceal them. Jane no longer wore ribbons in her hair instead she has a golden crown that settles at her hair line, it's thin and delicate with flowers and vines moldings. She leaves her hair down in long curls and looks at herself in the mirror she is small for an Asgardian but she is confident she is just as pretty as them at least Sif has claimed that she was many times.

Frigga comes to get her. Jane has no doubt it's her mother as the queen beams with pride and tells Jane what a beautiful woman she is. The celebration has started and Odin is on his throne, Thor is at the banquet table with his friends and Loki is at Thor's side looking like he would preferred to kill them all rather than be celebrating his return.

Jane does not waste a single though on the man as she peeks under her lashes at Fandral whom is looking at her with appraising eyes. She blushes as she kneels before Odin, who tells her to rise and pats the arm rest of his chair. She does as she's commanded earning a one armed hug from her father and a proud smile from her mother. Odin whispers something in her ear and she laughs, then he waves over an elven prince and offers his daughter as a fine dance partner.

The elven prince takes her hand and Jane smiles warmly at Prince Kellen, they were familiar with one another after her stay with his people, he had become a good friend.

Loki rises to go sulk in the shadows his eyes glued to the glass doll on the dance floor, Thor places his hand on Loki's shoulder, "Tonight is to celebrate your return, brother, you should enjoy yourself." The warrior demands.

Loki smirks, because Thor for once is right, he did return to enjoy himself.

Jane is dancing with Kellen and Kellen is telling her of the pixie migration when a tall brooding figure rudely cuts in and sweeps her up into his embrace leaving Prince Kellen to look after them clearly insulted.

Loki's hand is on her hip and his thumb shifts to rest on exposed skin. She is glaring at him and he is smiling down at her like he finds her anger amusing.

"Since when do you dance?" She asks shooting Kellen and apologetic look. The elven prince manages a strained smile.

"It's my party, why shouldn't I dance?" Loki declares like she is simple.

"You never dance, what makes tonight so special?" She asks not for the first time hating how little she is compared to everyone surrounding her. His hold is strong and too possessive, she hates the way he is looking at her it makes her fidget and like a frighten animal all she wants to do is run away.

He seems to understand this as his arm snakes around her pulling her closer to him. "Tonight is special because for once it's my party." Loki tells her.

"Then dance with someone else, why me? Why am I so special to gain the privilege of your attentions?" She says this mockingly like his attentions are an insult and no one would should want them.

Loki simply smirks deciding to play her game for a little while longer. "I thought we already established that there is nothing special about you." Loki reminds her, his looking over her head and Jane has to arch her neck back to look at him, the top of her head barely comes to his shoulders and she feels vulnerable, remembering how he declared her death and wondering why even after his exile he seemed desperate to make her feel inferior. She doesn't ask if he returned only to kill her, because it doesn't matter, what matters is that she knows he did not return to be a good brother or a good son.

"The glasses you were wearing earlier, where did you get them?" He asks almost casually, it was his turn to lead the game.

Jane sees no reason to lie or hide what she can make, "I made them, they can see through magic."

"And the spells carved into the tile around your room where did you learn those?" Loki demanded to know.

"Something I picked up during my many travels." Jane informed him just as casually.

"Odin has been very careful in what you have learned and what he has shielded you from. I tried to offer you a gift earlier and you acted like I was trying to poison you." Loki stated but it was a question, Jane simply did not understand what he was asking.

"You did try to kill me that was why you were sent away." Jane reasoned, wiggling to put a bit of space between them, then he bows his head and his lips are on her ear and she is sure her heart has stopped beating.

"No." he whispered against her cheek, "I was sent away because I though killing you was the only way. But I'm willing to admit I was wrong…I have found another way, Jane…" He whispers then his tone changes and she can feel the pull of his words. "You're going to smile and dance and pretend like everything is normal, then in thirty minutes you are going to lock Orion in your room and you are going to come meet me in the garden. I will be waiting." His words flowed like a spell, a command that would have to be obeyed, followed without alteration, with a silent something to make it impossible to tell anyone else. His lips brushed across her temple and she is left alone in the middle of the dance floor to be puppet to his will.

Only Jane wore her parting gift from the Dwarfs everywhere, a necklace to protect her against mind magic and dark curses. She had wondered at the oddity of such a gift but now she understood, remembered the tales they told of the mischief maker, they sought to protect her in the only way they could. Still Jane is afraid and still she doesn't know what Loki wants from her but it can't be good and all she can think about is Snow White and the witch that can change forms and tries to feed the princess a poisoned apple.

Jane has been preparing for a night like this since she was fourteen, since the night she asked to leave but they forced him to leave instead now she would simply have to be brave enough to run away. To run back home to her uncle and away from the god that wanted her dead.

Frigga, Odin, and Thor had been so kind and so loving they had given her a home and made her family and now for some unknown reason she had made an enemy out of a man that should have been her family too.

Really It was fine, she was done trying to pretend like any of it mattered she was a woman and it was time for her to grow up and say good bye to golden cities and rainbow roads. To run from Loki and hope that their family could bring him peace of mind.

So she did as Loki bade her, first Kissing Frigga and Odin giving them a hug and telling them good night- goodbye.

Then she hugged Thor and Sif and told them to take care of each other.

She said her farewells to Hogun and Volstagg in rues of a goodnight then she kissed Fangural on the mouth in front of everyone and thanked him for all the dances over the years. Then she ran from the party with Orion at her heels all the way to her rooms.

Frigga had given her a yellow bag covered in blood on Jane's twenty first name day, it was Margie Foster's purse. Jane's mother's purse. Jane's last name was Foster how could she have forgotten that? Jane could remember her mother, small woman with brown hair a pretty face that Jane saw similarities to in the mirror. And her father had been Arthur Foster, a skinny man in jeans and flannel shirts with horn rimmed glasses and sandy blond hair. They would lay out on a blanket at night and look at the stars, Arthur showing his little daughter each consultation with the passion seasons. Margie making hot coco and holding her daughter tightly as father's excitement lured her to sleep. Memories Jane had forgotten until she looked inside that blood stained bag.

Jane already had a small satchel packed, she wouldn't take any clothes, her Asgardian clothes would not work on Earth so she changed into the simplest of her dresses and gathered all of the inventions she could stuff into her bag then she climbed out her window and to the roof, were the slop evened out and were she had built her own one way portal to Earth.

It would get her there then the signal would scramble and be untraceable, only Heimhall would be able to find her and that she had a secret weapon for so that no one could find her, so that Loki couldn't find her. She was ready teleporting Orion to the roof top as she stands on the transport disk calling her dog over and like an obedient boy he sits down on her feet so he will fit, she makes sure his tail is on then she looks up at the Asgardian sky one last time and flips the switch. Light engulfs her and Orion and seconds later they land on Earth on the side of the road in the exact spot 16 years earlier a little girl in red rubber boots was abducted by aliens.

**Earth not Midgard**

Jane doesn't remember much about Earth at least not in way of geography that was why she invented a map. A hand held device that sends out pulses and creates a 3D imaging on a palm size device in her hand. There is a town five miles south of their location, it takes Jane a few hours to get there.

It is morning when she arrives and the town is small, a few shops are opened including a thrift store. These Jane remembers, cheap second hand objects. She had a little Earth money from her mother's purse and this was her first stop.

Orion followed her obediently and the shop owner didn't say anything about her companion though the woman eyed the dog wearily. Jane picked out a pair of simple blue jeans, and a blue flannel shirt, then she went to check out the shoes and was delighted to find a pair of red rubber boots in her size. Jane made her purchase for a whopping ten dollars and then asked the woman if there was somewhere she could change. The woman directed her to a small room with a curtain and Jane pulled off her Asgardian gown and dressed into her new Earth fashion. She then braided her hair and sold the dress to the woman who owed the shop and found a diner where she ordered Orion and her some breakfast.

She went back over her exit portal and shifted the charm bracelet on her wrist, one of the charms would block her from Heimhall's vision, another was a button to call Orion if he was lost, there were still more charms all had a purpose. Orion sat in the booth across from her and people were looking at them like it was weird a dog should join her for breakfast. It seemed this was something Earth and Asgardians shared, Jane however just smiled and ordered them both breakfast. Still no one questioned Orion's presence or demanded he leave, and she wouldn't be the one to make him. He was the last of her family and she would keep him close.

While waiting for breakfast she did survey her surroundings and it was interesting to find that even on Earth Jane was small for a human. She wondered if this would be true for all her race or only the ones in this town, she had a feeling it was true for the whole of her race.

No one but the waitress talked to her while she was in the dinner and when they were done eating she asked how she could get to New Mexico, she needed to find her Uncle. The waitress suggested she take a bus and directed her to a bus station a few blocks down. Jane thanked her and walked down to the bus station. It pleases Jane considerably how much she does remember being back like not everything was as lost as she had thought. It occurred to her when she passed a pay phone that perhaps she should look Eric up, it had after all been 16 years its possible he has moved, and even after selling her dress she doesn't' t have a lot of money to waste. She stops and looks him up in the phone book only his not there, so Jane finds the library and with the help of a worker they look him up on the internet and Jane finds a phone number. She calls him without thought, hoping he will remember her.

Eric answers the phone and sounds cross and tired. Jane suddenly wonders if this is a good idea.

"My name is Jane Foster, you might not remember me. My parent died in a car accident when I was eight, someone picked me up from the wreckage and raised me, only recently did they remind me about my parents. I was hoping you could tell me where they are buried." Jane asks the other end of the phone is eerie silent and her hands are shaking.

"How did you get this number?" The man asks sounding gruff.

"The internet. I remembered you worked with my dad, he called you my uncle. Memories are starting to come back like of Haille's comet the map of its course you drew for me on the back of a napkin. The smell of my dad's after shave, aqua blue, my mom's perfume, Clare de Lune. I just want to visit them." Jane tries not to cry.

"Jane?" the man asks with disbelieving hope. "Where are you?" He asks eagerly.

"In a small town five miles from the crash site." She tells him.

"Stay there I'm sending a car. I can't come but the password is Arthur, ok?" He asks almost historically. Silent tears escape Jane's eyes and she is nodding as she answers. "Yes. Ok." She promises.

A black unmarked van pulls into town before nightfall Jane is sitting in the dinner and she assumes it's for her, she quickly pays and goes to meet a man dressed in a black suit with brown hair.

"Miss Foster?" The man inquires. Jane nods looking at the man with assessing eyes not sure if she should trust him.

"I'm agent Colson, Eric Selvig works for the government I will take you him. The password is Arthur." The man is business wrapped in nicety. Jane immediately likes him. She climbs into the back of the van with Orion and buckles herself in. There are three other men in the car all dressed in black suits. Jane smiles as they pull out of the town and drive towards the planetarium.

**Master Plans**

Loki had a master plan one that involved reclaiming the ice casket and stealing Odin's daughter, before he destroyed every living creature on Asgard. The land of liars, of manipulators and of deceivers.

During his ten years as an outcast and Odin's oldest enemies found him, those seeking revenge by way of murdering All Father's youngest son.

Only Loki is anything but weak and passive and after being abducted to Jotunheim then standing over Lafey's dead body does the glamor of Odin's power dissolve and for the first time does Loki's see himself as he truly is, an abandoned heir to the Frost Giants, one that just murdered his own monstrous father.

So he took the throne and built himself a castle and forced his will on the barbarians. Set up a different kind of society one that flourished in the ice land and made plans to take the race of outcasts out of the darkness. He worked hard to gain their loyalties and he returned to Asgard only to fulfill two objectives.

He waited in the garden for her until morning like a fool, thinking that his spell would force her to bend to his will, but little Jane was clever and somehow she had freed herself of his magic.

Loki went in search of her as the sun rose her rooms wide open and Frigga's cries echoing down the hall.

Odin stood in the room a letter clenched in fist as Thor tore the room apart, looking for something.

That was how Loki found his not family in the throws of sorrow and panic the little glass doll nowhere in sight.

"Where is she?" Loki growls his anger seeping into his tone as he eyes these pathetic creatures.

"We do not know. She ran away." Thor yells over his shoulder, Frigga still crying, Odin still as a statue.

"Why? Why would she do that?" Loki asked. He is shocked at such desperate measures, did she really think she could run from him? There was nowhere in the universe she could hide that he couldn't find her.

"Her letter does not say, it just says good bye and thanks us for being her family." Thor tells him, the oaf still going through trunks pulling out possessions and thumbing through books. Perhaps looking for clues on where she ran off to.

"Why are you just standing there old man! Find her! Heimhall can see her." Loki bellows looking to Odin.

"Of course, brother!" Thor shouts running out of the room no doubt in search of the gate keeper.

"What did you do, to cause her to run Loki?" Odin turns and accuses. "What lies did you tell her to make her turn her back on her family?"

"Your one to talk of family, Odin" Loki spits out his eyes shifting as All Father turns to give the child he raised his undivided attention.

"Why couldn't you make her sister?" Odin demands harshly, his anger vibrating through the air.

"Like you made me son? But I am not your son, and she is not my sister. I am Layfeson, heir to the frost giants. Two kings one throne. I use to think that made Thor and me enemies, but she understood...six thrones she said...enough thrones for both Odinson's. I took my birthright and I am here to take back the power of my people."

"I will not give you the ice casket." Odin vows.

"And I will not ask for it." Loki tells him with a smirk, turning and walking away.

Loki was a King and he didn't have to ask for what already belonged to him.

Loki catches up with Thor who is begging Heimhall to tell him where Jane traveled. The gatekeeper is eyeing the oldest prince with sad eyes and it is apparent to Loki that, however, Jane traveled it was not through these gates. Heimhall had not been aware of Jane's absence until Thor had told him. That in itself was telling.

Somehow the clever little glass doll had learned to travel between worlds all on her own without magic and there was only one place she would go, the place where it all started, Midgard.

The conversion was approaching and while this was a minor snag in his plans it was easily mended. Loki decided he had been to narrow minded he needed to broaden his plans and find little Jane and he knew just how he was going to do it.

"She went home." Loki told them turning to leave, he would return to the Frost giants alter his plans so he could find his little song bird before he destroyed the universe.

"This is her home!" Thor bellowed after him.

But Heimhall understood. "Midgard, she found a way back to Midgard."

"Can you see her?" Thor asked.

The gate master shook his head. "No, but it was the one place she would ask to see the most, it is the one place she would have gone. She spent many years at my feet she could have learned how to make her own way there." Heimhall praised but Thor looked horrified by the idea.

"I must find her." Thor said charging into the Bi Frost without thought, "Send me to Midgard." Thor commanded.

"It is a big planet I do not know where she is." Heimhall warned.

"Doesn't matter, I will find her." Thor declared before being transported through space.


	3. Chapter 3

**With a little Time and Patience**

Loki used one of the satellites and a bit of magic to announce the end of Midgard. He had told the mortals that they had something that he wanted and if it was not turned over by the conversion he would drown the entire planet. He really hadn't expected an answer, but a dark skinned man in an eye patched somehow found a way to send him a message one that asked what it was exactly that Loki was looking for, Loki just smirked and told the man...I'll know it when I see it.

Shield had thought he had been referring to a glowing blue cube of power, but Thor like a good brother had lead him straight to her.

Apparently this government of Earth was trying to use the glowing cube to make weapons and sweet Jane stole the cube to prevent destruction and mass casualties. Jane was being treated like a prisoner, Orion had been tranquilized and locked away before she was brought to a large room with a round table and a wall made out of glass.

Four men in an assortment of uniforms each as colorful as the next sat at the table eyeing her with an array of interest, and one red headed woman dressed in black stood next on the other side of the room her face revealed nothing of her thoughts. Nick Fury a man Jane had been introduced to some time ago stood towering over her angry and Thor stood by her side arms cross looking up at the man like he would like nothing more than to hit him with his hammer.

That was when Loki materialized in ice giant form, he was so much scarier to them with blue skin and red eyes, everyone jumped to attention and while Thor looked at him like he was an image, Jane looked at him in fear, it had been too long since she ran away from him.

"Ah you found it." Loki purred, let them think what they will of his words. He did so love playing with people.

"Brother..." Thor warns stepping in front of Jane as if to protect her, but Thor is caught off guard when Loki proves he is more than a projected image as throws Thor across the room before towering over his prey relishing her fear.

"The girl took what you are after, we don't know where she hid it." The man that called himself Fury announced, while another stood at Fury's side in his blue red and white spandex as if to defend and protect.

"Have you been naughty sweet Jane?" Loki asked loving it when she did bad things like tearing apart mother's gifts.

"They were trying to make weapons out of the Space cube." She tells him her voice wavers as she takes another step away from him.

"That is what humans do girl." He growls backing her against a wall, his fingers molding around her chin forcing her to look up at him, his careful this time not to hurt her only to feed her fear. "They use their knowledge to destroy and gain stolen power. They are greedy and insignificant." he preaches once more he has to teach her who is worthy of her love.

A weapon cocks in his ear and the woman with red hair in black leather has a gun at his head, he knows there is a man with an arrow aimed at his back and Thor is back on his feet gripping his hammer tight.

"Shoot me with that arrow I break her neck." Loki threatens because it is currently the only real threat, Thor is holding back because he wants to know what Loki's plan is, the woman's weapon won't kill him, but the man's arrow will go straight through him and land in Jane.

"Why should I care if I kill the girl?" The man with the arrow asks snidely.

"Not the _she_ I was referring to." Loki lets him know, his free hand shooting out and back handing the red head with the gun.

The bow is immediately pointed at the floor for the moment Jane is safe, but something sharp is pressed into Loki's neck and he looks down at the glass doll in his arms. She has a blade at his throat and anger in her eyes.

"OOOh," He sings pressing into the blade it's made of ice and singes his skin, "Are you going to kill me Jane?" He asks suddenly hoping she will try.

"Enough!" Thor bellows. "Tell her Loki, tell her what this is all about!" Thor demands and Loki sneers.

"Big brother is always ruining our fun." Loki taunts. Her arm shifts and Loki sees it- the glowing blue in one of her charms on her bracelet and suddenly he has a wicked idea. He presses into the blade just a little more and wonders what color he bleeds in this form. She withdrawals the blade when he feels the blood and she looks at him in horror that he would do such a thing. He smirks again and pulls back yanking the charm off her bracelet and holding it up in his hand.

Jane looks even more horrified because she alone knows what is hidden inside. "You have been naughty!" He declares looking at her with amusement. "A choice then for my lady." He starts his fingers pitching the charm breaking it and the light leaks out slowly blinding him before he is pitched into darkness.

He had a front row seat to the destruction of nine realms. To usher in the Rangokan in the name of all who wrong and lied to him and there on the brink of darkness stood a woman and her glowing blue cube, the tesseract, it whispered.

Her hair is motionless, long gone are the ribbons and skirts now they are replaced with a fierce determination to save all she loved from the monster she refused to love.

It was like a pattern Loki didn't quiet comprehend like a dream or dance that he had though forgotten, he tilted his head and looked at her with inquire, she could not win so why was she still playing.

Only she smiles at him the smile is twisted and doesn't belong on her face as she tosses the cube from one hand to another. "Do you want to know a secret, brother?" She asked in an eerie voice that is more than her own, like three Janes all speaking at once mocking him. He sneers not entertained by her stalling methods and not fully understanding what he thinks his supposed to know.

"I am not your brother!" He yells at her. Why couldn't she see that neither of them were Odin's children but pieces on a chess board. He couldn't be her brother.

"I have a secret that I will only tell you, Loki, whom I loved and harden my heart to. You can't hurt me anymore, don't you want to know why? Why you won't destroy the universe. I know why!" She tells him daring him to be brave enough to ask, but he is done playing childish games.

He charges like a panther, moving in with precision accuracy his fingers reach for her throat but once more his fingers ghost her hair, she twirled with just as much speed and grace throwing the glowing cube up in the air as she dances out of his reach, both of them ending up on opposite sides- Loki instinctively catching the cube glaring at her for being so careless with something so powerful.

"I know how this starts, and how it ends the tesseract showed me...now you too must see..." Jane's voice is an echo in the darkness and Loki tries to drop the cube but it is stuck to his hand and he looks up only to watch the beautiful glass doll fade away as his pulled into a different direction one the cube has control over.

It's like watching images on a screen in Midgard.

Loki ends up on the side of the road a car drives pass him and it's a family singing, a child playing with a stuffed animal in the back seat. The moment they pass their happiness is in slow motion, beautiful and real, and the little girl turns and smiles and Loki knows that face.

"Jane." he whispers to the darkness.

The car drives by and Loki like a shadow watches little Jane Foster grow up in the care of two loving parents. She grows up and becomes a nurse, she has a loving heart and a sharp mind and she is good at dealing with ego centric doctors.

This is proven when a tall muscular blond doctor starts her job and all the girls swoon, but Jane is too busy spending her time going behind him and fixing all his errors and reprimanding him about his drug dosages. To care about his pretty face or the gooey eyes the oaf constantly makes at her.

The man is Thor in disguise and Loki doesn't understand why Thor thinks he can just be a doctor even on a primitive one such as Earth. Loki watches Jane's apparent frustration with the new doctor and her apparent annoyance over other swooning nurses.

"What good is a pretty face if there is no brain behind it?" Jane scorns. Thor hears her and Loki watches as the god of thunder actually tries to be a better doctor and a better man. Their relationship is slow blooming, but when Thor begins to fill out his own orders and file his own paper work- Jane practically swoons -and it's all downhill from there. They fall in love and Thor asks her to marry him.

The wedding never takes place because this realities' Loki unleashes the Rangogk in the form of giant monsters, terrible floods, and tortuous fires. Shadow Loki watches as Thor prepares for a battle and is introduced to others that will fight alongside him. Jane is taken into protective custody as the war commences.

This world's Loki kills many people, gods and humans alike, they fight for years and try to harness the power of the tesseract to help save their world. The scientist working on it is an old friend of Jane's father and in her confinement she spends her time with him with this Eric Selvig.

When this reality's Loki comes for the tesseract, he murders Eric and leers cruelly at the nurse, he will let her live he decides, killing her will only motivate Thor. But Thor is there and they are battling. Neither Loki knows how it happens, and for a moment they are one, shadow Loki and this realities, but shadow Loki is just a spectator as she watches and feels everything this world's Loki can and he has the upper hand, Thor is on the ground weaken and he raises his staff to finish his not brother only the blade of his staff meets resistance much too soon and there small little Jane stands the fragile nurse with his staff through her heart dyeing. His arm slips around her waist to keep her from falling to the floor, and his other hand cradles her head, his fingers thread into her hair and she is looking at him with tender eyes. Eyes that no one has ever looked at him with before, her small hand raises and rests on his cheek.

"Find them Loki, Find them all and save them." She request and her body goes slack and the light in her eyes is extinguished. And he has no idea what she was talking about as he holds a dead girl in his arms. She wasn't supposed to be dead. He looked over at Thor who was recovering the god of Thunder was looking at him with true hate, and Loki softly lowered Jane's dead body to the ground his fingered running through her hair as he turned to look at the tesseract, the cube sat behind Thor's wrath.

"What was she talking about, find them?" Loki asks looking at Thor.

"The souls of our people did not die, that is what we were using the tesseract for it's a portal, we can find them. Why did you murder her? Does your hatred of me know no end to kill the innocent?"

"She was in my way." Loki said cruelly, because why did the stupid girl have to go sacrifice herself for stupid Thor.

Thor charged him and Loki used his favorite trick, faking him out, Thor like a raging bull runs into a table.

This world's Loki runs over and picked up the cube, he looked down at the glowing cube in his blood soaked hands. Blood that belonged to that stupid girl, save them she said, like he was the hero, please. He didn't save anyone, only she wasn't supposed to die. He had spared her...and she had disobeyed.

The cube's light radiated and in a sheer and terrifying moment both the Loki- the one of this reality and the shadow Loki were engulfed in light and dumped on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere no longer connected. The shadow Loki knew exactly where they were the other reality Loki had no idea and he stumbled into the road confused and disoriented, and the shadow Loki can only scream silently as the car crashes. The metal rippling and folds and rolls from hitting the other reality Loki, who is knocked on his back and groaning in pain. Shadow Loki has tears in his eyes because he knows what this means, he knows what happens now and he can't do anything but stand there and watch as a little girl in red rubber boots climbs out of the demolished car holding onto a yellow bag.

Only the beam of light never comes down, the girl pulls out a phone and five minutes later the road is filled with emergency cars and her parents are pronounced dead. The other reality Loki had dissolved a few seconds after impact, apparently the paradox was too much to sustain his existence.

So this was a second reality the shadow Loki decided. As he watched Eric Selvig take responsibility for the child, a divorced man that had been a colleague of her father. There was no close family and Eric wanted to keep her out of government hands. The scientist raised her best he could.

She chose a career in stars over medicine. Probably in accord to how many lecture tours Eric took her on as she grew up. She had two master degrees by twenty four and was brilliant all on her own. She had ideas and theories that were the foundation of many realities of Asgard and this was all without interference from anyone else. Then she ended up in New Mexico study storm patterns and that is when she ran a man over with her van and her whole world changed. It was of course Thor again and this time there was mutual attraction from the moment she bought him a cup of coffee and demanded he use manners.

The flirting was worse than when she was a nurse and he was a doctor and all Loki could do was gage over the cliché.

Then her work got stolen and Thor tried to make a gallant effort to restore not only her tools but his own, his hammer that the government had confiscated after he had been thrown out of Asgard as a shamed son, something Loki was pleased to fine was an orchestra of his own making. That All father was in Odin sleep and that Loki was the current king. But the Shadow Loki was stuck to this Jane and forced to watch as Thor clumsily explained the cosmos to her. His explanation was that of a child but Jane listened with interest and Loki couldn't help but smirk, the woman wanted his knowledge more than she wanted him and this endeared this Jane to him in a way the nurse Jane had with her sharp tongue and ready insults.

It seemed that she was the same at the core no matter what reality she was in. Then he watched Thor regain his powers and break the rainbow bridge, to keep Loki from her, to protect her and Earth and Jotheam which second reality's Loki was trying to destroy.

Then shadow Loki is back with Jane as he watches her search for Thor. He watches the video feed on his own attempt to take over Earth and the Avenger's victory.

He is sitting in he same room when Eric and Jane are reunited and Eric asks for her forgiveness, that he couldn't keep second reality Loki out of his head and that Loki was after her. Jane looked sick but put on her brave face. "Well now his worlds away locked up. Thor will keep us safe." She said Thor's name with anger and shadow Loki smirked. She was upset he abandoned her after he promised he would return.

She is dating again, it's been two years and she's on a date, and Shadow Loki is sulking when the annoying intern comes in and interrupts said date. They go to an abandon building and find one of the portals that open during the conversion, shadow Loki smiles, is it finally time? Jane wonders off and touches something she shouldn't, Shadow Loki is powerless to stop her though he does try. He knows what possess her the moment he sees it and the ather will not be deterred.

Thor comes for her and whisks her off to Asgard. The ather protects her but its slowly killing her human cells, what no one else sees it that it's not killing her human cells its changing them. She is tired most of the time, as the ather works to make her a lasting host body, shadow Loki sees this but even if he could tell them this he wouldn't.

It hurts to watch them, the tenderness the love. The awkward moments of interrupted almost kisses- No that he enjoys. Thor leaves her in the record halls as he goes about his business, and not for the first time does Loki wish he could interact with her, to show where the answers to her questions lay. Answers his Jane had found before she was half the years of this one.

He wonders where the 2nd reality him is and even tries a few times to venture from this Jane to find himself, only he is latched to her and only in a few moments has he been transported elsewhere. He is there to observe and that is it.

The dark elves come for what is there's. They kill his mother and the guilt is eating away at this Jane, she looks at things and her eyes go black and shadow Loki is worried about her. Thor has a crazy plan, and shadow Loki can't feel the sorrow he wishes he could at Frigga's death because he knows somehow it is prevented in his own reality.

Thor asks Sif to take care of Jane, and Sif does so with jealousy in her eyes- the same warrior woman that looked so tenderly to the Jane in his own reality.

It's one of the moments for shadow Loki- the ones that slow down to catch his attention to let him know they are important. It is the first meeting between this Jane Foster and second reality Loki. They of course knew of each other but it's the first time they interact and when second reality Loki is all poise ready to introduce himself, Jane slaps him hard enough to turn the god's head. Then second reality Loki smirks and brazenly declares that he likes her. And Shadow Loki seems to be the only one that understands that this second reality Loki truly means it, he can see it in his eyes and the way the follow her when she is moved away from him. It's a sentiment that the shadow Loki and this Loki share and they both understand all too well.

Everyone threatens to kill him if he betrays Thor. Second reality Loki laughs like it is all a big joke as Thor tears through Asgard holding on to his precious mortal and whispering revenge in Loki's ear. Then Thor trusts him to drive and shadow Loki sits next to a sleeping Jane and watched the brother's bicker. The second reality Loki is going to betray them, shadow Loki knows this and Thor knows this, shadow Loki just hopes that he doesn't kill Jane to betray his brother. But second reality Loki keeps looking at Jane with appraising eyes that Thor doesn't see and when that Loki makes a comment about the power in her veins the shadow Loki knows that he can see it, can see that it's not killing her but changing her. They seem to be coasting and the night edges on, Thor moves to hold her and she opens her eyes and curls into him, 2second reality Loki sneers and turns his eyes, shadow Loki sneers and watches them envious.

Second reality Loki betrays them and it's so up front and morbid that shadow Loki is caught off guard, the savagery of cutting off Thor's arm of throwing Jane at the feet of such a monster, watching in delight as every drop of the aether is drained from her body and she thrown to the ground like a discarded vessel a pretty package for the perfect gift. They shadow Loki watches as Thor's arm rematerializes as second reality Loki throws himself on top of Jane to protect her, then a spear pierces his own chest and he dies with pretty words from his brother.

Then Loki watches as Jane's science defeats the dark elves. The victory goes to her and to Thor whose immortality is able to get him close enough to defeat the enemy.

Then shadow Loki is pulled and forced to follow Thor to Asgard where he gets commendable honors from Odin, where Thor abducts from the throne for the love of a mortal woman.

Thor leaves and Shadow Loki is bound by the rules of the tesseract not allowing him to follow, to go back to Jane, he turns to Odin and watches as the greatest deception unfolds there sitting on the throne king of Asgard is second reality Loki smirking haughtily after Thor's foolish decision.

Fifty years is not that long to a god but the amount of achievement that can take place on Earth in unfathomable. Thor introduces his Jane to Tony Starks and Bruce Banner, together the three of them change planet Earth as anyone could know it. Second reality Loki's attempt to take over Midgard had brought a brotherhood across the globe and with advancements in clean energy, solar paneling and gamma radiation control- fossil fuel became obsolete, and a different way of thinking of the Earth as a global community became humanity's salvation. Both Loki's got a front row seat to it and if that wasn't enough the Foster theory made it possible for the construction of a protective shield that would keep aliens from entering Earth through unmarked portals or unauthorized Bi Frost, there was one way in and one way out and because of Jane Foster the Earth was safe, even from itself.

The shadow Loki watched as Thor's happiness turned second reality Loki's victory to a hallow void. How allowing the god of thunder to live, allowing him to live on Earth with that woman could bring everyone so much peace and happiness. It simply wasn't fair. Loki had to hid his face, his triumph, he couldn't even go to Earth and be smug about Odin's death, no he was stuck watching their happy lives through the magic of the kings staff and the more he saw that more he hated them, the more he hated her.

Jane hadn't aged a day in fifty years, while the aether hadn't killed her it certainly had changed her, it seemed that perhaps she was as immortal as Thor and second reality Loki stewed in his hate of her the most. Of how he can't get the feeling of her in his arms out of his memory how it haunted him even fifty years later, and all of this was her fault. It would had been better if she had never existed, or better if she had died along with her parents.

And the Shadow Loki understands, he watches it all unfold as the second reality Loki storms down to the relic room his long fingers wrapping around the tesseract, shadow Loki thinks he can still see the blood drenched on his hands as the second reality Loki whispers darkly "Stupid girl should have died."

The light engulfs them and they are pulled back to the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, a place that shadow Loki is all too familiar with. The car approaches and hits a disoriented second reality Loki, only he doesn't vanish like the other his laying in the middle of the road as the car flips and rolls, and it's like watching the same movie for the second time. The little girl crawls out in her red rubber boots holding onto the yellow purse and there is a growl from behind her. Shadow Loki turns and the second reality Loki is no longer in the middle of the road, he has transformed himself into a vicious beast and is in the shadows, familiar red eyes piercing the darkness, eyes that shadow Loki is all too familiar with.

The animal lunges towards the girl with another growl and light engulfs her transporting her up into the sky, the Bi Frost marking burns into the asphalt and shadow Loki watches the beast dissolve as if he never existed to begin with.

And Shadow Loki is pulled back into darkness flung out and back into his own reality the paradox still open.

It's been two life times- or three- but really only a matter of seconds. His Jane is standing before him watching him with eyes that have seen everything he has and more. She's holding a golden apple and her chestnut hair has ribbons in it, gold ribbons. She's wearing a blue dress and while he stands in the shadows she is drenched in light.

"It's your choice Loki. It's always been your choice. It all begins on the side of the road with a family taking a trip to a planetarium. But you have to decide soon the paradox cannot sustain and like you have seen it will all restart or become a permit fixated point."

"What will?" Loki asks still not fully understanding what she was telling him.

"Me and the Rangak- me and Thor- or ..."

"Or what?" He shouts looking at her understanding but afraid.

"Or I eat this apple and we find out what's behind door number three." She tells him.

Loki looking at her with tears in his eyes and his never been more afraid even knowing he was helpless to watch her die didn't compare to this- living so many lives and watching her in motion just out of his reach and then when he did hold her it was in such violence.

She deserved Thor.

Loki turned the cube in his hand, the decision made. "Will you wait form me?" He asked not believing that she was real, she hadn't worn ribbons in her hair in such a long time.

She smiles sweetly, "Only if you tell me you like me, even if just a little." Jane tells him.

A single tear falls and Loki looking at her drinking his fill, his clever glass doll.

"Yes, Jane, I admit defeat, you I like." His voice is horse and he hates the sentiment in it, because when he says he likes her what he means to say is I love you.

He squeezes the cube and light engulfs him and there he is on the side of the road the car approaches and he has already made his decision.

He stumbles out into the road causing the car crash, and then morphs into the beast and growls at the little girl searching through a yellow bag. A bright light engulfs the little girl and the beast changes into a man, pulls a glowing cube out of his pocket and smirks into the night.

The paradox closes and this reality becomes the only reality.

Jane Foster might deserve Thor, but Loki wasn't about to give her up, not again.

The light glows again and Loki is standing where he had been three life time's ago. In a room with a curved table, the Avengers around him and Jane with in arms reach.

Only it was only seconds to everyone else, they were where they had been when he freed the tesseract now he stood in his Asgardian form with the tesseract in one hand and a golden apple in the other.

Jane still looked horrified, Thor was still begging, and agent Rominoff was still picking herself up off the floor.

Loki knew them all he can remember everything and it seems that only he saw everything.

"A choice sweet Jane. Your choice." Loki tell her as the world catches up with him he holds out both objects to her the terreract and the golden apple.

"Wait...this is all about getting your sister to eat a balanced diet?" Captain America seems to be lost, and Loki doesn't miss the small tick in Thor's cheek, because Thor does think this is funny, and he wants this just as much as Loki.

Jane sighs heavily and eyes both objects with distaste.

"Save the world and eat the apple or I destroy the universe." Loki makes the offer like it's a simple enough exchange, everyone else apart from Thor still don't have a clue what is going on.

Jane is looking at him again fear in her eyes as she once more gathers her courage and he sees it before she even reaches for the apple and take a bite. He watches her with apparent delight as she eats the whole thing. "The core too, can't be too careful about these things." He instructs and she rolls her eyes before doing as she's told. Everyone else is watching with little patience and with far less interest then Thor and Loki whom nod to one another. Loki tosses the tesseract to Thor and catches Jane as her body goes lax. He lifts her up like precious cargo, she is watching him with her big brown eyes and he turns before kissing her on the lips then shooting everyone else a wicked smirk then teleporting himself and Jane off planet.

"Uhm did he just kiss his sister?" Tony Starks asked clearly disturbed by the idea.

"So was all of this over a woman?" Hawkeye asked.

"That was creepy." The black widow declared.

"I thought he was after the tesseract?" Bruce Banner was confused.

"Is he going to stand on his end of that barging?" Nick Fury wanted to know and he was the only one to actually address his question to Thor.

"They are adopted," Thor shoot to the gossiping mortals over his shoulder before turning to their leader. "Yes, he will. The tesseract, however, will be returned to Asgard." Thor announces looking up and light engulfs him as he is pulled up by the Bi Frost and returns home before anyone can protest.

**Change of Plans**

Loki arrives at his palace with Jane in his arms, marching into his halls as his army awaits. "Change of plans redirect the gravitational pull to the canyons." Loki declares his general looks at him weary.

"That was not the plan." the giant argues and Loki smirks.

"I know the plan was to waist this planet's natural resources to destroy the universe, but your future queen has persuaded me you monsters are worth saving." Loki declares loudly letting them all know what his plans had been that he was going to murder them all.

They all look at him in fear and to the sleeping woman in his arms. "Our queen?" One of the soldiers ask.

"Princess Jane of Asgard seems to have a soft spot for frost giants." He bits out. "Before the convergence unless you all want to die." Loki demands and they fall into order adverting the gravitational pull so when the ice melts it flows into the canyons preserving their source of water.

Loki looks down because he can feel her eyes on him, there are a million questions swimming in her eyes, but she's so weak she can only form a single word.

"Orion?" She asks and Loki's frown is her answer, he forgot the dog. He curses internally and she finds the strength to raise her arm, on her wrist dangles a charm bracelet. Loki looks at it closely it's where he found the tesseract. There is a house, and snow flake, a lightning bolt, and a hammer, a dog running and a few others. Loki takes the dog one between his fingers and presses in on the little button on the dog's body, and Orion materializes next to them, running to keep pace. Jane sighs and leans into him her eyes fluttering shut and her body relaxes, seconds later she is asleep in his arms.

When she awakes it is in a bed made of feathers and Orion is curled up at her side. Jane gives him a good squeeze and he looks up at her his tongue hanging out happy to see her. She pets him again and gets up. She is still in her clothes from Earth but she remembers Loki bringing her to Jotenheim. Her boots have been removed and when she sits up to put them back on, she notices Loki sitting in a chair stirring from his own slumber to look at her with relief.

Jane realizes she's alive and while she's happy to be so she's also confused. Then she remembers him kissing her and the declaration of his queen. She frowns hoping she had dreamt all that.

"I need your opinion on something, then if you wish it I will return you to Asgard." He tells her with quiet words. Other louder ones are left unspoken. He gets up and offers her his hand, she slips her red rubber boots on and takes it. "Your satchel." He points to her bag and she picks that up draping the strap over her shoulder to rest on her hip. Then he waves his hand and like a warm touch her clothes change to ones of tough brown animal hides and fur, her boots are still red and rubber. She smirks and looks up at him with a question in her eyes.

"It's a long walk, don't want you catching cold." He explains.

She lets him lead her out the room and through the halls of his palace. It's massive, cold, and very beautiful. He leads her out the front door and there waiting in the square is an angry mob of Frost Giants.

"What is the meaning of this?" Loki demands his angry inquiring causing immediate silence.

"The woman has made you weak!" his general yells.

"Give us Odin's daughter so we can have our revenge!" Another Frost Giant demands.

"It is only survival of the strong out here, her death is a kindness." another yells. Then they are all yelling making demands, calling for her blood.

Loki's anger is all consuming his self-image of Asgardian prince immediately shifting to his Frost giant form, but even compared to the smallest of them he was puny. Yet he was their king and the ice casket only obeyed him.

"Silence. The woman is under my protection!" Loki declares over the screaming mob, Jane leans into him and whispers through his anger.

"How do you take down a mountain?" He turns and looks at her like she's insane, she is smiling like the call of her death is all a funny joke and her riddle is the punch line. She is looking at him expectantly and he is too anger to think beyond that she is crazy. Then the biggest of the Frost giant reaches down as if to pluck her unworthily from the ground and Loki doesn't act fast enough.

But Jane does, she dodges the giant's grasp and pulls something from her pocket plunging it into the side of the giant's hand and hoisting herself up onto the back of his hand, then she runs and Loki can only watch as she climbs the frost giant like he was a tree or the side of Odin's place- all the way to his shoulder. There is something else in her hand that she has pulled from her bag she twirls it around as she runs to the Giant's neck and it turns into a spear, then she plunges it into the juncture where the Frost Giant's scull and neck meet, he twitches and falls to his knees then slides to the ground, his eyes roll back into his head and Jane is still standing there at the base of his neck completely unharmed.

The entire event has taken less than ten seconds and mob is eerily quiet shocked that something so small could bring down something so big and be smiling up at them like they were all next.

"Now children let's keep our hands to ourselves..." Jane let the cheerful tone dip with an unspoken threat and Loki has recovered enough to finish it for her.

"Or Your King will start collecting them." He lets that dark promise sink in and take root, he struts over and offers his hand to Jane who climbs down taking it then he leads her through the quiet mob that part for them as they make their way to the caverns the place Loki wanted to show Jane before his citizens decided to rebel.

Loki takes her to the planet's core and there vibrating like an old heart is the only warmth on the entire planet of ice and rock. "If I melt the core, it could defrost everything else. It could be a power source to potentially create lights and heat!" Loki was clearly pleased but Jane looked at the core and at the slow pace of its drum, how it was almost completely frozen through.

"Or you defrost it and it burns so bright for a few hundred years killing almost every creature on the planet and then going out and killing anything left." Jane explains.

"Such a strange girl to be concerned about creatures that were just calling for your blood." Loki replied icily.

"They weren't always like that, once the Frost Giants where just Giants a peaceful loving race that had something someone else wanted, so they were rounded up and dropped off on an uninhabitable planet to die off. Most did, some evolved to survive. "Jane tells him still examining the planet's core.

"More of Odin's bed time stories?" Loki asks.

"No. Odin was the one that banished them, he wanted a forest they were guarding." Jane announces turning to smile at Loki.

"Well now, where did you hear this story little Jane?" Loki loved it when Odin was the bad guy. Jane simply keeps smiling at him and folds her arms in front of her.

"While were here can I call you little Loki?" She asks cheekily.

He glared at her. "No."

"Why you're smaller than everyone apart from me." She reasons.

"Yes and you are smaller than everyone anywhere." Loki replies. "Where did you hear that story?" Loki presses, he hopes she has more.

"I can't disclose that information. I know lots of things I'm not supposed to from places I'm not supposed to know about." She explains and it's torturous because his Loki and he loves secrets no one is supposed to know.

"Tell me!" He demands.

She laughs, "No, it's for their safety." She explains and she is taking all the fun out of secrets.

"Ah! Because I am going to run to Asgard and tell Odin." Loki tries.

"You might if there is leverage." Jane is looking at him, and he knows she doesn't trust him, no one does but it kind of hurts that she doesn't. Then he has to remember that he has lived three lives with her and she only remembers this one.

"At least I don't break things." He argues. It's really the only leverage or insult he has.

"Yes you do!" She shouts, more in disbelief of his blatant lie then anger.

"I change my mind I don't like you, your too ridiculous to like." Loki decides waving her off like she's annoying, teasing her really.

She smiles. "Good. I don't want you to like me." She informs him picking up at rock and throwing it at him.

"Why?" He asks dodging the rock.

"Because you like to throw me against walls and try to strangle me. Or you're always trying to kill of races of people you don't like. Your impossible, a liar, and a horrible brother!" she informs him, throwing another rock at him.

"Frost Giants aren't people." He argues thinking that is what she is referring to happy she doesn't remember him killing her or her parents, twice.

"Humans are, Loki! Beside you're a frost giant." She screeches, running her gloved hands through her hair.

"And I deserve to die." He declared. Really he did, he simply didn't want her to know why.

"Don't say that!" she demanded now really looking upset with him.

"So what I'm supposed to let the core completely freeze." He asked hating the cold, he didn't want to be cold for the rest of eternity.

"No you defrost it slowly over the next couple hundred years, to allow it to grow stronger and the economic system and life forms to adjust." Jane tells him like his an idiot.

"Couple hundred years, I'm supposed to be cold for a couple hundred years?" He obviously did not like that idea.

"I could create an artificial sun that would sustain in a fix location, perhaps a small portion of the planet while the core is defrosting. You could build your court there." Jane offered.

"Will it always be day time?" He wanted sun light, but not all the time.

"No it will need to recharge for hours to regain operation. I could probably pull a 12 hour division between the patterns. Sorry but you don't get to create your own time here."

Loki glared at her like she was insane for thinking he would want to.

"Once the surface of the planet in that location has defrosted completely and if the land is able, the solar substitution can create photosenphous." Jane informed him. Loki looked puzzled it was not a word he was familiar with.

"It can grow crops, like trees to help with the atmosphere- the air is thin, and vegetation. Leafy greens to help with eyesight. It will help once light is available, the frost giant's eyes will have to adjust they will need a better diet than raw meat all the time."

"Jane, how do you know all this? Why would you know all this?"

She was silent looking at her feet her cheeks pink. "I figured one day you were supposed to inherit Jotnehim, so I learned what I could about it from many of my teachers and from books in library's I wasn't allowed in. I began to think how I could help you when you became king of such a frozen rock. Loki who loved warm fires and flowers and knowledge to be isolated in the dark and cold. I only ever wanted to be a good sister to both of my brothers, it was always so easy with Thor. I had thought that you and I- that we had an understanding and then you got mean and scary and all I ever wanted was to be a good sister." She had tears running down her face and he was looking down at her with shielded eyes. And a sneer on his lips.

"You are not, not can you ever be my sister." He tells her darkly and her lip quivers and her hearts breaks all over again and then he pulls her into a tight hug and his pulling the tie out of her hair and running his fingers through her hair undoing her braid, is touch is gentle and she looks up at him confused, he is smiling down at her. "If you were my sister I wouldn't be allowed to do this..." He whispers touching his lips to hers, and she gasps and he smirks. He gives her another sweet kiss before pulling away enjoying the look on her face as she's trying to work what exactly just happened.

"So does this mean you like me?" She asks sounding hopeful

Loki lets her go and takes a step away from her he tilts his head looking at her like she is a curious species.

"Like you? Of course not!" Loki declares with flare. "Jane, I love you, that's why I stole one of Ilunn's apples, to make you immortal, so that your life will be as long and as full as any Asgardian's."

"Immortal?" Jane looked like she was going to be sick then the brave girl swooned with gratitude and Loki caught her like a gallant villain and carried her back to his palace.


	4. Chapter 4

**Brothers in Arm**

Thor is waiting on the palace steps, Sif at his side with Orion sitting beside Thor as Loki approaches with Jane in his arms.

"You told her?" Thor asked motioning for Loki to hand Jane over, Loki did so with resign. His eyes lingering on her with longing desperation. How bad he wanted to keep her, but he knew in order for him to have forever he would have to be patient for her to come to him willingly. Loki had to stop trying to force people to do things against their will.

"Yes and she swooned in gratitude." Loki replied his eyes still on her when Thor adjusted his hold, her head resting on the blonde's shoulder. Loki had to remind himself that in this reality, Thor was her brother not her lover- his jealousy did not belong behind door number three. But Loki is by nature a selfish man and other possibilities of Thor and Jane still burn bright in his memory, Sif is giving Loki an odd look so Loki leans over, kisses Jane's head and pushes pass them to walk into his home.

"Father expects you to make a formal request for her hand, Loki. Then he will wish for all the courtship niceties owed to a princess of Asgard." Thor announces sounding smug.

Loki pauses, turns to look at Thor, "You have spoken to Odin of my intent?" Loki is confused it sounds like Thor approves of the match.

"Of course, I even calmed him down when he found out you took the Ice Casket after he declared you could not have it. A peace offering from Asgard's king to Jotunheim's. We were raised brothers, and when you take Jane as your wife we will truly be family. I wish only for my sister's happiness and I finally understand...you have loved her all along. Your fear of losing her making you cruel...my fear of losing her making me selfish. Thank you for saving her, for giving her what I had never considered to ask for from Odin. Of course you still have to persuade Jane you are worthy of her and that I think, brother, will be your most difficult political achievement yet." Thor declared with a twinkle in his eye, like he looked forward to Loki's potential humiliation at Jane's refusal of his courtship.

"They don't call me Loki, silver tongue for nothing, brother." Loki reminds him, feeling comfortable with calling Thor the sentiment again. They were no longer enemies, behind door number three they never were- not really.

Thor laughs and Sif raises an eye brow. Loki takes a step back with a smirk on his lips as light carries them home. Loki is left all alone in the dark in a cold palace with no one to warm him.

**Kill Your Heros**

Jane is happy to be home. Odin and Frigga plan a huge celebration to welcome home their daughter and to hold Jane's naming ceremony. The particulars of Loki's deceits were never discussed in front of Jane but Odin's easy acceptance over her immortality did make Jane wonder if Odin had intended for Jane to eat one of Innun's apples at some point in her life. As an immortal, however, she would have a responsibility to the universe a duty to up hold and a destiny to fulfill one the Time Lords would help her understand.

Odin was the god of war and All Father, Frigga was the goddess of Love and she was the Mother, Thor was the God of Thunder and he was the carpenter, Loki was the god of mischief and the bringer of the Ragnarok. They all wore their titles and each Asgardian had a name that belonged to the realm and that belonged to the universe. Jane tried not to fret over what the mystic would see when he came to name her and declare her immortal destiny.

Jane wondered if Loki had been invited. She's not sure is she is quite ready to face him.

Remembering that her life upside down, was all his fault, that his games and his declarations of love were leading and manipulative. How dare he tell her he loves her in the same breath as telling her he made her immortal, the shock had been too much and when she woke up in Asgard- him worlds away she only had one name on her lips for him, coward.

She was so furious with him but that didn't stop her from diligently working and building the solar panel that she promised him, that was the only reason she hoped he did show up, to get his sun and to go back to his planet and hide. Worlds away from her so she could try and make sense of every moment of her life. Moments that she had thought he had been rejecting her only now everything was so jumbled and confusing she couldn't think straight and the good rational sense she use to have she was beginning to think was lost long ago when that stable boy declared that one day she would marry Loki and such a declaration had put her world on its axis and she had never been able to get it spinning right again. Now she thinks she knows why, because Loki had known all along, he wasn't her brother, he made damn sure he was never her brother, and now he wanted so much more and she wasn't sure what she wanted.

There had never been other boys, not really. At one point in her life she had rationalized that was because she was human and aged differently than them, now she knows that all of Asgard had understood the unspoken intent of the youngest prince. She was supposed to be smart and she had been blind to it all along- stupid to what was right there stalking her ever step.

Even Fragnal whom she had moments with, moments that seemed to teeter on the cusp of something more only to remain frozen in a balance of friendship and niceties but now she sees the way the beautiful warrior looks at her with sadness- like she was lost and there is no way he can save her.

Then there was prince Kellen of the Light elves; the best friend she has ever had with his curly brown hair and eyes green as leaves, so handsome and ready for an adventure. She taught him to climb and he taught her how to fight, with a bow and her little knife. While everyone else was off to war she had made a friend that had been all her own.

When his letters stopped shortly after Thor and Loki had returned home and she had not considered anything odd about it but when she saw him again after Loki's banishment, he had seemed upset over the fact she hadn't written back. Jane had gone with her mother to the elf kingdom and Kellen and her friendship had picked up right where it had left off- like old friends were time had not passed between their separations. Then he kissed her and it was awkward- her inexperienced but she felt excited, them testing their lips against each other's again right as Frigga came across them with a stern expression and elegant reprimand for their behavior. That was all until the feast when she danced with Kellen and Loki had rudely cut in. It seemed the god of mischief's lot in life to rudely interrupt the patterns of her world as he stands there arrogantly blocking her way towering over her with a sneer demanding her attention and blocking everything else out.

She needed to get ready, she needed to stop thinking about him.

Jane's gown was light blue at the top, the fabric faded to midnight blue velvet with little diamond rhinestones decorated along the fabric so it looked as if she was draped in the night sky- the stars sparkling ask she walked. It was one of her favorite dresses it was gifted to her from Frigga the same night she was presented with a new crown from Odin- the moldings of the stars, comets, and cosmos with sapphire gem stones along with impressive silver working, Jane could only smile as her father placed the beautiful gift on her head and gave her a kiss on her cheek. The sleeves of the gown were a transparent material which made the only place Jane had to hide her knife at her thigh. Her jewelry was her last gift from the dwarfs and her charm bracelet, both more weapon than jewelry and in the off chance Loki would be there she wanted to be prepared for whatever he may have up his sleeve.

Jane is escorted to the naming ceremony by Thor. Odin is sitting on his throne and Frigga is standing where the queen stands and to her right tall as ever is Loki with his stupid smirk and that dispersing stare. The mystic is in front of the platform standing watching as Jane and Thor approach. Jane has never felt more nervous in her life and when they reach Jane's old teacher, Thor bows and climbs the stairs taking his position next to Odin.

All eyes are on her and the Mystic; his face has changed since last they meant now he is an older man with piercing eyes and intimidating eye brows. He has a thick Scottish accent and dresses in a black suit lined with red silk and a crisp white dress shirt. His shoes are polished and like this he reminds Jane more of a magician than a mystic, and while he keeps his personal information private, such as his name he was fiercely loyal to those he found worthy. He didn't smile or show he recognized her when she stood in front of him, and she wondered if with his regenerations he loses his memories, then she notices how his frown deepens and she knows he recognizes her, he must still mad about the little miss understanding with her deconstructing his sonic screwdriver, no matter that she rebuilt it, made him a second one in keychain form and up graded the software after the fact.

"Jane Foster." He began clearing his throat, giving her another stern look…so no not about the sonic screw driver then, perhaps he is still angry over the mess she made in the control room of his Tardis before she rebuilt it separating the time warp and the time key codes. Really what was the logic behind the location of the buttons, it was amazing he ever ended up where or when he meant to, the dial being so touchy.

She doubted he ever ended up on time anywhere let alone in the right location.

Still she kneels with a small smile looking over her shoulder for his companion, she wonders if he has brought Professor River Song with him. He clears his throat again, reminding her to focus, she looks up at him with a smile and his frown deepens on his old face before he begins the ceremony.

"There is nothing more beautiful in the universe then witnessing how it takes billions of stars and millions galaxies of worlds to align to make something as precious as you, Jane Foster. My clever student the gift of a long life that you have been given is that- a gift. No matter the way in which it was delivered. I am almost two thousand years old and over the my life times and through my many travels I have learned a great many things but one thing I have learned in all that time is the undisputable fact that everyone is somebody." He makes a grand gesture with his right hand and his other hand is on her chin lifting her face towards him, so they are looking at each other in the eyes.

Teacher and student.

"The Asgardians have one prayer that has hung on their lips since the beginning of the universe, and you Jane Foster, Goddess of wisdom are the answer. The hope, and light that shines even in the darkness." He announces to a stunned audience utter silence echoes through the marble halls, not even the shuffling of feet or commanding voice of All Father beak up the moment.

The mystic is the only one to look around apparently having expected a livelier audience.

Then Loki laughs. It's a busting snicker that explodes into a full out chuckle. And Jane stands, her back straight looking at him clearly offended by his interruption. Odin, Frigga and Thor, however, have regained the ability to at least frown at their adoptive son, Thor walks over and stands intimately over Loki as he continues to laugh.

"You offend Jane control yourself Loki." He demands.

Loki wipes a tear from his cheek waving Thor off. "My apologies ...ump.. Your highness...hee hee...It's just...where did you get this guy?" Loki asked pointing to the mystic clearly there was something everyone else was missing.

"Gallery, you coward. Now hold your tongue, I will not have you mocking my friend." Jane declares climbing the stairs to stand in front of him, a cheeky smile plastered on his face as he bows with all the curtsies of an Asgardian prince.

"My apologies Princess Jane, I did not mean to be rude. It just all seemed a little obvious from where I stood." He answered stepping forward and taking her hand before placing a kiss on it.

She snatched her hand back and glared at him, "I think you have done enough damage for one life time." She tells him turning her back on him.

"But I've had so many lifetimes and now think of how many we will walk together, Jane." He purrs for the whole court to hear. Publically staking his claim. No one says anything, he had already asked Odin for her hand and Odin had told him it was Jane's choice.

"There is no together, Loki. You have made that perfectly clear since the moment I was brought to Asgard."

"Yes I thought I had. And now even the Time Lords have made your destiny perfectly clear. You are the light and I am the darkness. That is what they told me at my naming ceremony That I am the darkness and I will be the destroyer of worlds. "

"But you haven't, you didn't." She corrected herself.

He had tried but failed- no it had been a choice, her choice. He didn't destroy Earth, Asgard, or Jotunheim.

"You are the answer to the oldest prayer, Jane!" Loki shouts at her. "What is the oldest prayer?" Again he yells this time at All Father who with down cast eyes and a voice older than time answers.

"Salvation from the Ragnarok. Salvation from the darkness." Odin answers. Jane is now the one speechless looking at them like they have all conspired against her. They raised her like a lamb for the slaughter.

"I will make my own destiny!" She bravely declares turning with billowing blue skirts to walk from the halls.

"By running away?" Loki calls from behind her, she spins around and surprised on how close he is standing to her.

"How well did you running away work last time? Did you count the lives lost? During our game of hide and seek, sweet Jane, have you counted yet?" Loki asks hoping she has, it will be what wins her over.

She blinks back the tears, because she has counted, but his words are poison. "Lives you took." She answers with a whisper, because it hurts and it shouldn't. Those deaths were not her fault but then why did she feel so guilty.

"They all understand, even your mystic stands there with conviction in his eyes, knowing that he has no power here. That is why you exist, he probably even had a hand somewhere in the cosmos to make sure you were born. Meddling creatures, Time Lords. Don't you see, Jane, you are my cage, my leash, and I don't care, I still want you. I know I need you, because there is both love and hate in me the likes of which the universe could only imagine and if I cannot satisfy one I will indulge in the other. It's your choice Jane, it has always been your choice. And that is why your life was spared on the side of the road where your parents perished, why Odin adopted a human child, because you are the only one that can save me and in turn save Asgard."

"You are a liar and there is nothing in all the cosmos that will persuade me that anything you say is the truth. You lie even to yourself, Loki. We are brother and sister, I will never be anything more to you. I hate you, I will always hate you for everything you have done the choices you have stolen from me. The lives you have stolen from others. Your destruction echoes through the universe and I will not be subjected to any of your mischief. I have finished the work you commissioned me for, the light to your darkness is a gamma solar panel- that is my parting gift to you, _brother_." She spits out the last word with so much hatred Loki actually flinches from the anger in her eyes.

He smiles against the pain and tilts his head in that indulging way, the way he looked at her when he was her teacher and thought she needed another lesson on a subject he thought her ignorant in. "Very well, we will play this this your way, I can be patient and I can be forgiving. I withdrawal my name from the list of Princess Jane's suitors, it seems she does not think my Love worthy of her." He announces with a calm silkiness that cause the hairs on the back of Jane's neck to stand in attention. She knows she is in trouble that they are all in trouble.

"I am interested in discovering who is worthy of loving you, or better yet who is worthy of your love." He tells her with another sad smile then he turns with a billow of his green cloak and leaves the hall, the sound of his shoes against the marble floor the only sound.

Jane wonders if she has just started another war. All of Asgard seems to hold its breath in fear of the darkness Jane undoubtable just released on the realm. Thor is the only one that moves, as he throws his arm around Jane's shoulder and gives her a one side's hug, the brother that will love her no matter what, even if she just murdered them all.

**Of Courtships and History **

Jane watches from the shadows as Loki throws back his head and laughs at something the Mystic says. Its Jane's party and she can't seem to relax to enjoy it, too consumed with watching Loki waiting for his wrath. Only he seems to be truly enjoying himself, feasting, laughing, and telling stories in a strange likeness to Thor. Loki's smile is slyer, filled with hidden secrets, but he seems to be doing more of it within this one night than he ever has in all her acquaintance. Everyone else has dropped their guard, Thor especially when he takes a place next to Loki at the high table and spend the night sharing stories with her old teacher, and reminiscing of times long before her birth. Jane doesn't understand, this is not the man she knows, the ghastly smile aside, Loki never converses with people easily and she would remain alert no matter anyone else's' opinion. They were being played, and Jane seemed to be the only one to see it.

Odin calls her over and she has no other option but to go to her adoptive father. The man that raised her as a sacrificial lamb, nothing more than a pawn in a game. Odin has a serious expression and his eyes contain a sadness that seems bottomless, when he sees her a small smile tugs on the corner of his lip and she wonders if he ever loved her.

"My daughter. I want to introduce you to the man that have asked for the privilege to court a princess of Asgard. I want you to know that while I did adopt you for strategic reasons that doesn't mean I love you any less then if you were my own flesh and blood. I raised you to take a place among us. I always intended to offer you one of Illun's apples once you were ready. I have made sure that you would have the tools and knowledge to stand up for us all when the time came. You will never have to face the darkness alone. "Odin tells her and Jane understands what he was telling her. He had thought there would be a war between Loki and herself, where she would have to fight with more than her womanly wiles and use the knowledge she spent her life gathering to stop the Ragnarok. Odin had never intended for Jane to marry Loki, he had intended her to go to war with him- with Thor's army at her back.

Jane nods with tears in her eyes relived that she had not been as deeply betrayed and she thought she had by her parents.

Odin pats his arm rest and Jane smiles perching herself upon it, Odin wraps an arm around her waist and kisses her head, like so many times in her life. Jane wipes her eyes with the back of her hand and Odin waves over a very familiar young men. "Jane may I present Prince Kellen of the light elves, as a worthy suitor for a princess of Asgard."

Kellen kneels and holds his right arm over his heart. "I have become very fond of you, Princess Jane, and I hope that we can continue our friendship into this new chapter of your life."

Jane nods in recognition. She is surprised that prince Kellen has asked to court her, they have been good friends but even after the kiss they shared she never would have guessed he felt more for her than friendship. He stands and holds out his hand and Jane takes it with a shy smile. This is a good friend of hers- Someone she had spent a lot of time with and shared many secrets with. He is also someone that had her back when she snuck into the forbidden libraries. They have a history that with the right push would make their union ideal- it could blossom into something eternal and magical.

Prince Kellen leads her to the dance floor and when he pulls her into his arms their bodies are a fraction of an inch closer than they ever have been, his hand is heavy on her back and while he is taller than her much like everyone else she does not feel over whelmed by his height or the way he holds her with such assured care. They dance and talk, it's comfortable, familiar and it makes Jane relax for the first time since her naming ceremony. She lets Kellen take her mind of Loki's intents and schemes as the Light elf prince catches her up on the political going ons of the dwarfs with the light elves, an alliance that is prickly and maintained with trades of magic and rare artifacts. Jane smiles with Kellen mentions the dwarf princesses Citrine and Amethysts, twins that would inherit the meadows of Agate while their brother Onyx will inherit the mines.

"The princesses and I became friends. They have more value than their brother places on them." Jane tells Kellen who nods knowingly.

"Amethysts particularly speaks very highly of you, it seems you have made allies in many worlds."

"Perhaps." Jane tells him and he takes the conversation into a different direction, one of lore study, instead of politics.

They spend the evening together dancing, talking and sharing stories then they watch the sun rise and Jane feels her eyes grow heavy, that is when she bids him good night. She is disappointed when Prince Kellen does not even try to kiss her when she leaves his side.

Loki is waiting for her in her work room the following morning. He looks calm as he pilfers through her inventions, she finds him holding the schematics for her teleport pad.

"You are truly marvelous. What you have accomplished without magic is truly inspiring." Loki says in way of a greeting. Jane simply nods entering the room, her eyes trained on him like she is waiting for him to attack.

"You said you have my Solar Panel." He turns his back to her as he speaks placing the blue prints back on the shelf were he found them.

"In the box by the door, I wrote down detailed instructions on how to set it up, maintain it and a run down on how to fix any problems that may arise if you try and burn it warmer than I suggest." Jane tells him, she lets her own doubt of his intentions drip into her words.

He turns partially looking at a collision fuser against the wall as he pulls a pained smile like he is hurt she would suggest such a thing, but he is a talented liar. For all she knows he has been lying to her, her whole life.

"I hold your opinions in the highest regard, Jane." He tells her turning to face her fully "I only want you to do the same with me. Or at the very least be able to tell when I am telling the truth."

"Do you even know what the truth is, _Brother_?" Jane asks, throwing the last word in simply to poke the bear.

He stares at her his emerald eyes swirl with anger but his words are remarkably controlled and calm. "I know that Prince Kellen wants all the secrets you have uncovered in a multitude of realms and the alliances that a marriage to you would ensure; more than he actually wants you. The truth is a matter of perception."

Jane's jaw clenches in reaction, as she fights the tears that prick her eyes. She takes several deep breaths before she can even find the words to speak. "Why are you always trying to hurt me? You say you love me, but every word out of your mouth is intendant to cut, every gesture leaves a bruise. I have known prince Kellen for years, why would I trust a liar's word over a friendship forged over a life time?"

"Forged over your life time. A few years compared to forever. You have known the elven prince for what twenty years? I have known him for a millennia, there is only one he loves more than Knowledge, When next you speak to him you should ask him of Cecilia, or White stone. There is a reason the dwarfs hate the elves -histories that go back farther than you can yet comprehend. They are just stories to you, Jane, they are history to the rest of us and there is a reason you had to break into certain libraries and there was no welcome mat to Odin's daughter. Knowledge is power and history is leverage. Welcome to immortality where you have forever to learn and enough time to watch your heroes become monsters." Loki sounds intrigued by his rant.

"You are the only monster I see." Jane bits out, refusing to be sucked in by his schemes.

"Then widen your gaze." Loki suggests with a telling grin before walking over and picking up the box with his solar panel leaving her angry gaze without a backwards glance.

**Pointy Eared Charms**

There are polite walks in the garden and chaperoned picnics on in the meadows. Kellen is a gentleman to a fault never trying to hold Jane's hand or steal a kiss when the chaperons turn their back. There is a strange disappointment with his lack of passion when they are alone that Jane begins to wonder if there might actually be merit to Loki's words.

Jane can't bring herself to approach the subject of Cecilia or even White Stone, it's not that she is lacking bravery it just that she likes Kellen even if his interest in her isn't really romantic- they have been friends for most her life, while Loki has spent most of her life trying to harm her.

But Loki was like a psychopath with an obsession and Jane was beginning to understand that obsession was destroying her reality, when Loki materialize under a tree and called out a greeting one morning to the Elven Prince Jane knew nothing good could come of this. But Kellen's feet lead him over to Loki while Jane was left to trail behind. Loki seemed to be sitting reading a book and sipping on a flask.

"Unchaperoned this morning I see." Loki starts holding up his flask in a cheers then taking a swig.

"I honor your sister, there is no need for you to worry about her safety with me." Kellen immediately interjects taking a step away from Jane.

"Not technically my sister, we were adopted, but I appreciate your valor all the same, Crown prince of the light elves, well crown prince several generations removed. You have what, a grandfather and a father in front of you for line of succession? So ... really you are just a prince of the light elves." Loki explains with an evil glint in his eye. The insult was obvious and when Jane looks up to see Kellen's reaction the smile that the elven prince usually wore was replaced with thin lips pressed angrily together, his eyes turning assessing to Loki.

"Adoptive, still makes you brother and sister." Kellen points out.

"It's a matter of perception really. Tell me how is your sister, Cecilia? Heard she ran off with a dwarf, crown prince of the dwarfs, Onyx?"

"Yes but I found them in the end, Cecilia is back home where she belongs though severally altered, thanks to your meddling." Kellen's eyes have turned dark, his face that usually looks soft and kind looks hard and filled with unfathomable anger.

"What I did? I was inspired to build bridges- It was love at first sight, with them if I'm not mistaken. Why would you destroy the opportunity for such a profound alliance?" Loki asks standing and cocking his head just so.

Kellen has turned his body to he is standing several steps in front of Jane. "Well Cecilia will not see anything ever again! Blind little thing she is now, not even father will visit her after her betrayal."

"So you got what you wanted after all, didn't you?" Loki states but there is something that remains, something that Jane can't quite comprehend.

"What is that?" Kellen asks and it is apparent that he has forgotten that Jane is standing right behind him.

"Cecilia's reputation, ruined." Loki states and Jane hears the smile in Kellen's voice. "Now why would I want such a dishonor on my family?"

Loki shakes his head, "You want dishonor on your twin, so that no one will ever try and take her from you again."

"But they did still want her! Even after I told them she ran off with a _dwarf_, they didn't care, the suitors still came." Kellen practically screamed.

"So you had to injure her? Blind her, to what end? She is your sister." Loki points out, there is no judging in his tone, but Jane sees it, Loki is leading Kellen down a path that will ruin it all, but Jane can't bring herself to intervene, she needs to know, to understand what she thinks she is hearing, but can't seem to wrap her mind around, she need to hear it from Kellen's mouth.

"Yes, she is mine! That is something that at least you can understand, Odinson." Kellen spits out, and Jane takes a shaky breath, that causes Kellen to turn and look at her, his eyes wide and she knows that Loki might have just played the light elf prince but every word had been the truth, Kellen's own guilt swimming before her in pools of leaf green. She can't mask her own expression of disgust.

Kellen bows to her, its stiff and practiced but Jane cannot move or speak when he turns to leave.

The elves leave without ceremony and it is apparent that Kellen is no longer a candidate as one of Jane's suitors. Odin does not seem troubled by this as an alliance with the light elves hinges on the current king and not on the opinion of a prince no longer in the line of succession after Loki ratted him out to his Great Grandfather. Odin assured Jane that Cecelia would be looked after by the king she was his favorite grandchild and perhaps in time with the right healers she may even regain her eye sight.

Jane corners Loki out by the gates and pulls him into an secluded area, Orion by her side as her small hands push him against a wall and he grins like his enjoying her manhandling tactics way too much.

"If you wanted to frisk me, Jane, all you had to do was ask no need for theatrics." Loki shoots at her holding his hands up in surrender.

"Is this what you are going to do, scare off all my suitors, you deranged psychopath?" Jane seethes stealthily slipping a knife from the holster at his waist.

Loki's grin widens. "I didn't scare anyone off. I do think you deserve to know the real man behind court niceties before you marry him. This isn't like Midgar, marriage here is until death do you part. That is why so many Asgardians choose to remain single. Could you imagine an eternity with someone that disgusts you?"

"I'm trying not to." Jane shoots back furious.

Loki laughs. "Now I just saved you from a very unhappy marriage, you should be thanking me."

"I hate you." She tells him with conviction.

"Oh please, spare me. You want to hate me, there is a difference." Loki explains reaching out and running his fingers through her hair, it's a slow and deliberate action, like his waiting for her to pull back or cry wolf. Only she is an adult woman, and simple glares at him as his gaze turns to where is fingers lace through her silky strands.

"It's all about perception, right? Like lies." She argues, as he tucks his hands back inside his pockets and turns those transfixed eyes back to her face.

"Well from where I am standing I say you would almost let me kiss you if I wanted. You want a romance that is filled with passion and loyalty, someone that can relate with you on not only a physical level but an intellectual one as well." He tells her.

She nods like agreeing then her eyes meet his and he sees the threat that lays there. "Not to mention emotional level. I don't just want any old mutt that knows how to hump, I want someone who will love me for who I am, not what I am. I want someone that wants Jane Foster, not an Asgardian princess and all the trappings that entails." Jane tells him

Loki shrugs like her statement is inconsequential. "You want someone that would rearrange the fates just for a moment like this, you and he alone in a compromising position." He whispers bending down and capturing her mouth. His kiss is hard demanding and filled with urgency. She pulls back and slaps him across the face hard enough to turn his head. He is smiling like it was all worth it. All the while Orion is growling in attack position waiting for his mistress's command.

"Such passion should be better redirected." Loki comments, Jane is standing in front of him holding out his own knife to defend herself with.

"Stay out of my affairs." Jane commands throwing the knife so it lands embedded in the wood right next to his head. Loki pulls away to find she took some of his hair off with the blade. She doesn't even look back when she and Orion walk away from him.

**Vengeance**

Loki is pouting in front of a mirror when Thor comes upon him, his brother makes the most of the opportunity laughing at Loki's misfortune when noticing the drastically shorter strands of hair Loki seems to be examining in the mirror.

"It seems Jane thought you could use a haircut. You have been incredibly vain about your hair during the last century. You use to wear it shorter." Thor teases.

Loki glares at Thor via mirror. "She used my own enchanted blade, it won't grow back, not by way of magic."

This made Thor laugh louder. "My sister is clever it seems that you have only angered her more with your meddling."

"Kellen was not good enough for Jane." Loki comments, admitting defeat about his hair silently to himself and picking up the scissors on the vanity.

"Who is good enough for Jane?" Thor asks in a rhetorical way as Loki cuts his hair with a grimace.

Loki does not answer as he works on his hair, but he can feel Thor's pointed look on his back and he knows his brother is expecting an answer. Loki takes his time, making sure each strand is perfect and his hair is just as glorious even if a bit shorter after Jane's assault.

"Well? Loki, who is good enough for Jane? You?" Thor challenges there is a twinkle in the oaf's eyes and Loki rolls his eyes.

"Of course not, but that won't stop me from trying to be." Loki comments airily, as Thor smirks at his comment.

"I have missed you, brother, and I dare say that Jane is very good for you. Who else could cut your hair and get away without vengeance." Thor points out.

Loki turns and looks at Thor like he is an idiot. "Oh no, vengeance is exactly what Jane has brought down upon herself."

**Dreams in the Light of Day**

Jane is called before Odin the next morning and Frigga is standing where she stands. Thor is at his father's side and Loki is thankfully nowhere to be seen. Thor is smiling so brightly that Jane can't help but smile back and when Odin announces that another eligible suitor has made a request to court Jane she tries to not look too disappointed it is simply too soon after the situation with Prince Kellen and with Loki still planet side, the whole courting thing was bad timing. Or at least that was what she thought until Fandral walked in the room with a clean shaved face in pale blue his blond hair freshly combed. Jane hoped she wasn't drooling. "Princess Jane." Fandral greets taking her hand and placing a gentlemanly kiss on it. Jane knows she is blushing when she tucks her hair behind her ear, a telling nervous habit of hers.

Fnadral keeps smiling at her when he offers his arm and she takes it allowing him to lead her out of the throne room and out into the gardens. "Thor will be our chaperone, I thought we could train together this morning." Jane could only nod at his suggestion, she had trained with them for years, but always as a fragile mortal, today would be the first time she would train as their equal.

Jane had always been fast but her immortal body had an endurance that she had not anticipated and when she dodged Hogun with easy and boosted herself off the side of the wall to climb on top of Volstagg swinging around him and knocking him out before grabbing a sword and defending herself against Fandral. What she had done on Jotunheim, and taking down an ice giant was only the beginning, she certainly had an advantage over the warrior three as she had been watching them train and fight in tournaments since she was a child. She knew their tells and weaknesses and even if at the beginning of the training they intended to go easy on her she knew by the end they pushing her as hard as they would each other.

It ended with Fandral knocking her sword out of her hand and pinning her to the ground with his body they are both breathing hard and Jane arches up into him and he is grinning his eyes on her lips his head angled like he is going to kiss her when Thor rips him off her and howls in earnest like the proudest brother in all the land over her fighting skills. Thor helps her up and throws one of his heavy arms around her shoulders, declaring drinks were on him and ushering her off the field. That is when Jane notice Loki standing by the gate, he is glaring at her his hair cut just below his ears and the grin on her face stretches out into a full out smile.

"Well don't you look pretty with your new haircut?" Jane coos as she passes by him, his glare darkens and the side of his mouth quirks.

"Not as pretty as your newest suitor would be on the end of my dagger." He whispers in her ear as he takes up her other side, Thor notices Loki has taken her arm so he lets her go running to catch up with Sif.

"Shouldn't you return to your planet? Don't you have kingly duties?" Jane asks not really caring only wanting him gone.

"I've been at home for a fortnight, surly you missed me? I only came back at the urging of Thor who thought it best that I too be included in the introduction of a new suitor, seeing I am family." Loki states sounding hurt that she was trying to get rid of him. Jane simply rolls her eyes.

"You do realize that neutering him won't stop him from humping anything in a skirt don't you?" Loki asks with a glint in his eye.

Jane looks horrified at Loki. "What are you talking about?" She asks not understanding where this conversation was headed.

"Your mutt. Honest, Loyal, Passionate...to his team but not in romance. Fandral is known for dating multiple women at the same time and I am using the term dating just as loosely as your sword fighting adoration." Loki tells her.

Jane smacks his chest. "You really are pathetic. I'm sure all those stories about your own conquest are over exaggerated. Or maybe they are simply histories." Jane turns his own words around to tease him and Loki finds himself smiling at her ridiculous observation. So he would not be able to persuade her with words of Fendral's inadequacies.

"Jane don't be foolish, I may be a shape shifter but I am all man." Loki preens his ego a bit scorched.

"No you're all monster. A man deserves a chance to grow and learn from his mistakes, a monster is given that chance and throws it back in the people who loves him faces- without remorse."

"Remorse? Guilt? Shame? How will these help anyone move forward?" Loki inquires through clenched teeth.

"I worry about you." Jane tells him stopping to look up and him with concern in her eyes. It was the truth, she might want to hate him, but she doesn't, it would be easier for her if she did. "I always have, and perhaps I always will. You dismiss so many truths and refuse to see your own short comings. You never grow or become better, always stuck in limbo while pieces of you slowly erode away. Thor use to tell me stories of Loki the boy. I think I might have liked him, I think he and I would have had a lot in common, us we might just always be strangers.." Jane tells him and she means it. She pulls away from him and runs ahead to walk with the warrior three, Loki left to tail after them alone with his thoughts.

Fandral's idea of courtship is sword fights and drinking contest the first of which Jane never really mastered the second she had no stomach for. He was a bit handsy after a few pints of ale, not quite groping more like one sided heavy petting, his hand on her shoulder, him leaning into her or over her it, it was awkward mostly because he smelled of alcohol and when she tried to talk to him about anything that interest her more often than not he would change the subject so he could boast about his adventures with his friends. Thor was a fine chaperone and when Fandral did have more than his fair share to drink and he forgot his manners Thor was always quick to remind him. This was Jane's cue to hit the practice yard alone, and work on her swordsman ship.

This is how Loki finds her in the training area alone at dusk with a sword in her hand. Jane knows his there his presence alone is enough for every pore in her body to stand in attention, her survivor instinct alert. It had been three months since last she saw him, three months of Fendral's courtship, three months of his sour breath and rough hands.

"Miss me?" She asked lunging forward to hit her target with the pointy end of her blade.

"I was curious to see how you were getting on with your love sick pup." Loki says. Jane turns and looks at him where he is standing just in the shadows watching her.

"You came to gloat." She challenges her grip on the sword tightening.

"Trouble in paradise already? Jane, it's only been three months...but when every day is war, ever night a feast, such an existence can grow tiring, isn't that right?" He asks walking over to stand in front of her so his towering over her gloating.

"I dare say I want more." Jane agrees looking down at her feet like there is shame in admitting such a thing, then she looks back up at him and he is smiling.

"You want to beat him, don't you? You're tired of hearing the same old war stories over and over again. You want to prove that anyone can fight, but not everyone can be clever." Loki purrs, like he understands her frustration.

"I'm faster than he is, I should be able to beat him." is all Jane admits but it is enough for Loki.

"You can beat him. I could train you, how to dance around their technique and use their own brute force against them. Just like you did with the frost giant, taking down a mountain by finding their weakest point." Loki offers and it's tempting in a way that Jane can't resist. Thor and his friend always taught her how to avoid a fight how to run and hide, now was the time for her to stand up and face what was coming after her head on and who better to teach her than the devil himself.

Loki comes to her every night at dusk, spending hours working her hard, and demanding perfection as he teaches her how to sword fight, increasing her endurance and speed.

Her technique and her foot work is what he focused on, and just as in her studies with him as a child she caught on and exceeds his expectations. By the end of the first month she was holding a sword like she had been since birth.

Jane tells Loki how she still trains with Thor and the warrior's three in the morning, then with Sif around midday. The hard work Jane put in; not only in sword fighting but hand to hand combat was impressive and paid off at an amazing pace. No one was looking to make a warrior out of Jane, except perhaps herself. Loki could tell she was holding back, there was a hesitation in her steps and there was something that she was playing out in her head when she fought, but had yet to work it out, he could see it in the way she watched him, the way she moved her body in response to his or her other teachers. Fandral was the least enthusiastic about Jane's new found fascination in learning to fight. Voicing it loudly to Thor how she was taking it further than self-defense and perhaps as her brother he should speak to the princess before they have another Sif on their hands. Not that Fandral didn't admire Lady Sif, but not every woman should hope to be a warrior. It was Jane that ensured Fandral that she had no intention of becoming a warrior, but he did not seem relived especially when he learned about her combat lessons with Loki in the evening, and that these were taking place unchaperoned.

This was resolved when Thor volunteered for the role, a resolution that pleased everyone except Fendral, who didn't want Jane anywhere near Loki. But Jane threw the sword fighter a displeased look and informed him that she would do whatever she pleased, particularly when it came to spending time with her family.

Fendral didn't dare to correct her, that Loki was not her family, especially with Thor standing there so he simply gave Loki a fair warning- one that Loki laughed at before wrapping his arm around Jane's shoulder and leading her towards the practice yards, Thor close behind them.

Watching Loki and Jane train was a sight to behold it was like a dance, that only they knew the steps to. Both so graceful and filled with passion that only the other could match. Jane was faster than Loki, and while Loki had a sly way about him that most the time kept his opponents guessing his next move, Jane seemed to be able to read his body language in a way that gave her the advantage.

There was a particular moment when Loki had a hold of her one arm around Jane's waist his fingers around her throat arching her back up against him in a brutal way that lifted her feet up off the ground as Loki grins wickedly, Thor moves to intervene, but the next moment she curls her body up and wraps her hand up around Loki's neck then she uses her own body weight to throw him to the ground. She sits on his shoulders, his arms pinned under her feet as she wrenches his hair back drawling a blade and holding it against the King of Jotunheim's throat. Loki is chuckling like this is the most fun he has ever had.

"You win." Loki admits defeat and Jane withdraws the blade getting up to offer him her hand.

"I think you are ready, Little Jane." Loki purrs, standing to tower over her, she purse her lips looking up at him with her craned neck.

"Tell me you did not let me win, Little Loki." Jane requests not looking pleased over the possibility that he might have.

"You know me better than that, I don't' _let_ anyone win. You have to earn it and you have worked hard. Always a diligent student." Loki praises. Jane nods in recognition turning to leave, his hand on her arm stop her and she turns to look at him. "Jane, do you understand what it will mean if you best Fendral in the arena?" Loki asks for the first time ever sounding concerned.

"Do you?" Jane asks, there is a challenge in her eyes. Loki nods letting her go, door number three was proving to be a whole new kind of torture, one that Loki did not think he could endure. To have her in his arms for moments that never seemed to add up to forever. He was beginning to think that door number three was just another hell designed for him- a penance for all his sins.

* * *

A.N. Chapter four done!


	5. Chapter 5

**Fall apart**

The words hung balanced on the cusp of a joke or dare, Jane could tell by the stupid look on Fandal's face that he wasn't sure how to respond.

Then he laughed, "For all your bravery, my dear you are no match for any of us." He announces much to Jane's displeasure. Sif at least looks offended on her behalf while Thor looks on with a hint of amusment.

"I am fast and I have been working hard." Jane argues, not a bit discouraged by her betrothed's mockery.

A blond eye brow raises clearly skeptic. "With Loki." Fandral response it is well known that the warrior's three do not believe Loki a fighter. "The man relies more on his words than his sword."

"Perhaps that's because his wit his sharper than your blade." Jane challenges feeling the need to defend Loki since he was not present to hear her.

Fandral's eyes narrow and he regards her with an indulging smile. "Very well, I accept your challenge, but when I win I do not want you training with him anymore, I will teach you if that is truly your will."

"How gracious of you." Jane responses dryly turning her back on him to reel in her anger.

"And what of you Jane, what do you want if you win." Thor calls out encouraging. Fandral rolls his eyes clearly he thinks entertaining the idea that she could win unnecessary.

"Well that, brother is a secret that I will only tell when my blade is pressed against your friend's throat." Jane informs with a casual air.

"Well then let us not wait." Sif announces with anticipation gesturing to the practice yard.

Fandral's begrudgingly acceptance vanished the moment he falls on his backside with a huff of indignity. Jane hadn't even struck him, she had simply avoiding his attacks, dancing around him as he tried to catch her off guard. She was focused and knew that while Fandral fought with honor, and precision he did not know what to make of her speed and deflecting fighting stance. It was his own miscalculation that caused him to lose his balance and fall face first in the dirt the second time.

Only Thor dared to laugh at the swords man- encouraging his sister as she used her speed and agility to cloud Fandral's emotions and technique in humility and shame. For all the battles he fought he never had an opponent that didn't attack head on, not until the princess of Asgard took his honor with a side attack of blade and had him on his knees in front of her with both his sword and hers pointed at his neck. Her victory was acquired by using his own technique and brute strength against him.

Thor's booming laughter fills the air as he throws an arm around Jane who withdraws her sword and is smiling. "So sister what is your reward?" He asks with a raised eyebrow while Fandral is picking himself up off the ground trying hard to smile but Jane sees the anger swirling in his eyes.

"A kiss." She whispers like a shy school girl, seeing a familiar figure in the corner of her eye deciding this would be a better reward than what she previously had in mind. Jane reaches out pulling Fandral to her by his shirt kissing him softly. Jane can feel Fandral's smile against her lips as his arms wrap around her waist and he pulls her into him. There are cat calls and hoots and Jane knows she is blushing when she pulls away. Fandral has a cocky grin on his face his own humiliation forgotten and when he leans back down and kisses her again, Thor pulls him away by the neck of his shirt.

"I think you have rewarded my sister enough." Thor declares nudging Jane towards the castle. Jane turns to fully see the looming presence of that familiar figure standing in the shadows, Loki's face an emotionless mask. She is so happy to see him that she runs over to greet him with a big smile still on her face. Leaving Thor to handle a bemused Fandral.

"Did you see? Did you get here in time to see?" She asks with joviality and pride, fully knowing he had.

Loki's lips curl in a distasteful way when he answers. "I saw plenty."

"I beat him, Loki! I won! Thanks to you!" She is so happy, she doesn't bother acknowledging Loki's dark mood besides he is always in a dark mood and currently that is where she wants him.

He simply shrugs like helping her was almost as insignificant as she was. "I didn't realize your prize would be so; physical." Loki says with that bite in his tone and Jane can't help but flinch the smile falling from her face.

"He is my betrothed why shouldn't I kiss him?" She asks for the first time realizing he may be jealous, but it was too human an emotion to belong on Loki. Sure she kissed Fandral to avoid what the other outcome could have been, and to prove to Loki that there was another way to show she was more than a pretty face to her betrothed without hurting their engagement. She and Loki had worked so hard together, he had been so patient and almost caring with her training, and he had always made the ideal teacher in the class yet remained a stranger outside of it.

"I could not have beat him without you." she tells him searching his face for something other than the ugly emotions that danced in his eyes and the stony expression.

"Perhaps next time I should ask for payment." He response almost lightly and Jane rolls her eyes.

"What could I possibly have that you want?" She questions. "You have more gold than me. Besides you are indebted to me for life after the solar panel I built for you- free of charge."

"Oh, Jane...how can a woman as smart as you be so ignorant, or do you enjoy mocking me?" He asks stuffing his hands in his pockets taking a step forward to tower over her- his favorite intimidation ploy.

"Ignorant? No, Little Loki, I just want us to be friends you seem in small supply of them. Beside you told me that by beating my betrothed in the battle field would put him off, but he seems more bemused than ever, you are not as clever as you think you are…How is my invention?" She asks changing the subject after her insult.

"Manipulation then, seems I taught you more than I had previously thought…My kingdom is split in two, the young ones are eager to move forward and become something other than violent savages, the older ones have formed a rebellion and demand to speak with my queen, they what nothing of my negotiations." Loki tells her there is something in his eyes when he speaks of this that puts Jane on edge.

"Your queen?" Jane asks disturbed, "Who is your queen?" there is an uncomfortable feeling burning in her chest from her question.

"You Jane, they think you are my queen and that I have locked you in my castle to keep you all to myself. They think the sun is to burn them all in revenge for how you were treated." Loki explains in that exasperated tone of his.

"Did you tell them…that I was..." Jane knew her face was now pale white, she swayed and Loki's hand was on her arm to steady her.

"I might have. I really don't remember, but I need for you to talk to them for me. Explain to them the importance of Photosynthesis persuade them they need not fear of my wrath at this time." His eyes locked on hers as he asked.

"You want me to pretend I am your queen?" Jane questions like a fool while understanding the situation but not comprehending it.

"For a few days, perhaps until you are safely back in Asgard." Loki looks a bit too eager by this idea.

"I am not going back to Jotunheim with you, to tell your people I am your queen!" Jane shouts. Others turn to look at them but Jane ignores them.

Loki smirks, "Oh don't be so dramatic. We are not telling my monsters you are my queen, Jane, I only need you to persuade them the sun is a good thing and not the bringer of the Ragnarok. It will bring them heat, perhaps it will defrost their icy hearts."

"Did you just make a joke?" Jane asks sounding disturbed.

"I am witty." Loki defends.

"And oh so modest. I will go but I am not staying a couple days, I will be back home in my warm bed by tonight." Jane compromises.

"As is your will, my lady." Loki bows, motioning for her to walk ahead, therefore, she does not see the wicked smile Loki throws over his shoulder to Fandral whom is detained by Thor but had been burning holes in the back of Loki's head the whole time he and Jane were talking.

**With a little help from my friend**

Odin is reluctant to allow his daughter to go anywhere off planet that much is obvious when Jane goes to tell her father of her going to Jotunheim to help Loki. It is Frigga that persuades All Father to allow Jane to go- Loki's own loyalties to the family having been mollified.

When Jane returns to her chambers to pack Loki is there stuffing gowns into a satchel at an alarming rate.

"There is no need for clothes I am not staying with you." Jane reminds him going to her work bench to get her tools, if she was going to be planet side she might as well check the figurations of her solar panel.

"I don't want you to freeze." He answers pulling her rubber red boots out from under her bed.

"I would like to change, before we go." She tells him with a pointed look. He stops what he is doing and looks at her.

"Well don't mind me." His grin is roguish and Jane folds her arms in front of her and tilts her head in response to his outlandish comment.

"I suppose you never do…Very well don't be long." He commands like the king he is, picking up the bag he packed for her and exiting her chambers with a flare that only he can achieve swirling green cloak and all. Jane rolls her eyes before locking the door behind him.

Jane quickly changes into comfortable sued britches and corset over a warm blue blouse. She had a pair of sturdy leather boots commissioned and a strap that laced across her back to hold the staff Odin gifted her. Then she plaited her hair and gathered the tools she would need before going to meet with Loki.

Loki is waiting in the courtyard, Thor is there his body language as hostel as his words, as Jane approaches them Orion at her side.

"You will return her unharmed, and in the same condition she leaves in, do you hear me." Thor's booming voice is as intimidating as any older brother, Mjolnir braced in hand fist as he makes his demands.

"I think all of Midgard heard you." Loki answers calmly looking to Thor like he was nothing more than a blathering idiot.

"No harm will come to Jane in my care, brother. I swear it." Loki reassures turning to smile at Jane.

"I have no doubts you will protect her, and that she can protect herself, but harm is not the only threat I fear in regards to my sister." Thor hints, Jane blushes and Loki rolls his eyes.

"Jane's virtue is safe, so long as she wishes." Loki announces without shame, Jane's blush reseeds as she now fumes with anger at how calluses they are discussing her.

Thor narrows his eyes clearly not reassured by Loki's words.

"Who says I have any virtue left to worry about. I was on Earth for a time and became quiet friendly with a man there." Jane states firmly meeting both men's eyes when she does so. Thor at least has enough dignity to look away ashamed, Loki smirks clearly not believing her.

"Sorry do you not like being discussed like cattle for sale." Loki asks holding out his hand to her.

"I already told you I will dictate my own destiny, my personal life is neither of yours concern." Jane blatantly tells her brothers pushing past them with an angry glare motioning Orion to follow, missing Loki's outlandish smile and Thor's look of shame.

Loki takes Jane to Jotunheim without traveling through the Bifrost. His own passages through worlds are dangerous and physically tasking but he has prepared her for the journey with their training they arrive in the bowls of his own castle through the back of the mighty waterfall of Envil Jane for the first time truly admires Loki's magic. Orion faired the trip better than Jane and when they walked through the portal and into Loki's castle Orion seemed to know exactly where to go darting off and into the hallway.

The portal is a mirror with a shimmering surface housed in a secret chamber with a long table covered in scrolls and books.

"My work room, I guess you could call it." Loki tells her before motioning her to follow him out into a hall that leads up and into the throne room. Loki's castle is a work of art; an architecture wonder of glass, granite and gold. The walls reflect what little light is given off from floating lanterns to make the hallways aluminate. It's clear Loki has made the most of what natural resources Jotunheim has to offer.

There is a giantess waiting for them, she is twice the size of Loki her long white hair pulled back in metal clasps that match her armor she kneels when they enter bowing her head in honor. "My king you have returned with her. I hope your journey was safe." The woman stated her gaze fixing on Jane.

"Safe…my journey was safe…Skadi. Tell me of my monsters and what troubles they have caused in my absence." Loki demands. Gone is the indulging smile and quick jokes, standing in the teacher's place in the king Jane feared from her childhood. He treated this woman, Skadi, like she was imposing and all her words were lies. Her dark blood red eyes remain on Jane with as she spoke to her king. Her tone pleading for his attention for his warmth.

"Suttung was asking for you he is upset that Gunnlod was taken and placed in the school located in the light zone. He think you mean to kill her, in retribution for what his brother tried to do to your _queen_." Skadi said, the word queen said in disgust.

Loki turns his attention to the woman, his eyes flash red and suddenly he is standing between Jane and the warrior giantess.

"I did not order Gunnlod to be taken to the school, she begged me to allow her attendance. Foolish old man. Is there an opinion you would like to express about Odin's daughter?" Loki asks in a dark and threating voice, Skadi's blue skin pales as she shakes her head.

"I know it is not my place, but my king you should think of your future- of breeding for the strength of your sons. Angrboda…"

"Enough!" Loki bellows his Asgardian image fading into his true form of blue skin, red eyes and raised ruins on his flesh.

"Strength and size does not make someone worthy. I had thought Princess Jane had already proven this with murdering Baugi. A creature a thousand times her side and strength and he died by her hand choking on his own blood. Do not speak to me of Angrboda and her charms… we make our own destinies, isn't that right my love?" Loki shoots over his shoulder gesturing to Jane when he spoke of us. She has no words she can only nod knowing his words do not mean the same thing as when she utters them. He shoots her an indulging smile at this and Jane's heart swells in fear. His attention back on the giantess that is trembling in her boots.

"I spoke out of turn please don't cut out my tongue." Skadi begs and Jane's eyes widen in surprise. Loki nods stroking his chin like he is considering her request.

"Use it again for treason and I will not be so forgiving." Loki announces motioning for her to stand.

She does so stumbling her eyes now down cast in shame.

"One more thing…Hyrrokin would like an audience." Skadi mumbles gone is the self-assured woman that was clearly Loki's master of guards.

Loki nods a sneer back on his face. "At the feast. Summon Suttung I would like a word with him as well, you are dismissed." Loki waves her off and the woman leaves, Jane does not miss the softness in the woman's eyes as she gazes once more at Loki's turned back.

"She is beautiful and brave." Jane points out forcing herself to smile up at him. He rolls his eyes and his image shifts back to the one she is familiar with, green eyes, snowy skin, and black hair.

"If that is all it took to turn my head I would have married long ago." Loki tell her wrapping his arm around her shoulder showing far more tenderness than he had seconds ago to another.

"I think she likes you." Jane presses looking up at him. "She might have a point about choosing a queen of this realm. If not this Angroboda then perhaps a woman you obviously trust."

Loki again gives her that indulging look, like he thinks her stupid. "I don't trust anyone here. I murdered Skadi's father a long time ago, and by doing so I set her free of his abuse. She is the closest thing to an ally I have here. But she has nothing to offer as my queen. I need more than bravery and a pretty face if I am to restore this planet." Loki explains and Jane looks down cast at her feet.

"You don't need me." Jane declares with as much conviction as she can muster, ignoring the small whisper of her own lie. Loki only smiles a true genuine smile in response before placing a kiss on top of her head.

A banquet is prepared and Loki sets out a gown of pale blue silk and a white fur cloak. Jane changes knowing this is a dignitary dinner and she is here to help him maintain peace so she needs to dress the part. Besides pretending to be his queen is worth far more for the assurance of her safety than her own pride.

Jane leaves Orion in the guest room, with a big bed and a large bone that Loki had acquired to keep him busy. The crown Loki sets upon her head is over the top with gems that glow encased in gold moldings a reparative pattern mimicking the silhouette of the sun's rays reaching a good foot above her head, adding the illusion of height to her. It was a bit gaudy in her opinion or at least it was until she saw the horns of Loki's helmet at that she can only shake her head over his blatant attempt to over compensate for his small stature while being thankful hers was only a foot tall.

Dinner is a combination of smoked meats and vegetation that Jane is surprised to see on platters awaiting their guest.

Loki explains the bounty is from the gardens that he has established just as she had instructed would be possible.

Jane nods, understanding Loki was showing off not only for those he ruled but for her as well. She smiles up at him showing him that she is proud of what he has accomplished.

Apart from Jane and Loki there are three males and five females at their table, five of them are the giant's elders, the others what few allies Loki has. He introduces them to her and their importance in hushed whispers as they wait for all to take their seats.

The elders were Suttung, who was the brother of the giant Jane killed. Then there was Angrboda, Hyrrokkin, Gerd, and Helblindi. The last of which was Loki's half-brother he is four times Loki's size with dark blue skin the marking on his flesh are similar to Loki's but far more extensive, he has two horns that grow from the top of his bald head and curl down and around his ears like those of a ram. Out of all their guest he is the most underdressed and scariest looking. His red eyes are dark and they glow as they avoid looking at anything, particularly the King.

Jane is thankful for that trying to hide her own shock at his appearance, he looks the least Asgardian of any of them. Angrboda is beautiful there is a sharpness in her yellow eyes that the others lack. Her pointed features remind Jane of a feline and her red hair is a beautiful contrast to her royal blue skin. She is dressed in a floor length gown of black furs- she is the smallest of the council but small would hardly be an adjective to describe such a giantess whose presence demands attention. Hyrrokkin is three times Angrboda's size her stillness alone makes Jane wonder if she is the oldest of those gathered, her blond hair twisted around her head like ropes, she has red eyes and her markings are the lightest Jane has yet seen, her simple choice in gown with her extensive set of jewels leads Jane to believe that Hyrrokkin is some kind of holy woman or wise woman. Gerd is the wife of Freyr, the god of agriculture on Asgard. Loki explains that she had volunteered to help Loki with rebuilding Jotunheim, wanting to help her own people and repay a debt to him. Her husband is at her side, Freyr is easily dwarfed by Loki.

Jane and Loki sat on a balcony with a table of their own and portions more suitable for their size. The platform is raised up so Loki can make eye contact with his guest while they eat and discussed business.

Angrboda is the most courteous asking questions of interest, with deep knowledge backing them up. She speaks of figs and apples with fondness like she remembers them from long ago when she was a child. Loki explains the ground is not defrosted enough to plant certain things particularly fruits but he reassures her he will plant fruit trees when the opportunity presents itself. Angrboda then speaks of her son, Fenrir, who attends one of the schools that Loki has set up, she thanks Loki for the structure and comments how attending has done wonders to curb her son's fierceness towards his peers.

Suttung grunts at this drawling other's attention. Loki uses this opportunity to ask Gunnlod, who is sitting beside her father with panic in her amber eyes, how the light zone school is going.

Jane has no doubts that Gunnlod is not full ice giant. It's not her size but her coloring that inspires the notion, she has white skin and blond hair; even the runes on her skin are a faint blue, looking more like veins against pale flesh than family markings. She is beautiful and while she speaks shyly of her school, it is apparent she enjoys the lessons of letters and gardening. Gunnlod is a sweet girl that despite her heritage tries to see the good in everything.

"Our king wishes to make our children weak. To crave warmth that will burn the flesh from their bones, to light a flame that will destroy all. He is not content with the darkness though that is what he is, the ice the cold, the dark. There is no shame in these, though he is ashamed of his very nature." It is Helblindi that interrupts Gunnlod's accounts of school with a biting tone. It is the first he has spoken all evening, his glowing red eyes fixated on Jane is apparent disgust.

Indignity on Loki's behalf fills Jane, she stands her jaw locks as she meets his glare with one of her own, "Weakness is allowing hope to burn out, to stop trying to move forward. Sitting like a stone mountain allowing the coldness of your heart to pollute your mind and planet until all that is left is starving masses, ignorance and a barren waist land. At least Loki is trying to save this planet, to save the ice giants while the rest of the world would love nothing more to see the last of your race gone. It wasn't always ice, fear and darkness once upon a time the giants were kind protectors that had a magical green thumb and greater purpose than vengeance." Jane is yelling leaning over the railing of the balcony eyeing the guest with conviction.

"What would Odin's daughter know of our trials? Pampered child, surrounded by finery and servants. You know nothing of our vengeance." It is Angrboda that looks down her nose at Jane.

Jane feels Loki shift behind her, his arm slipping around her waist as if to pull her back away from the lime light. She pushes against him steading herself. "Odin granted me the best education in all the universe. There are bed time stories my father did not tell me as a child, but that I found just the same, stories of the giants before ice and betrayal was all they knew. I spent years trying to find a way to right the wrong done to your people by Odin. Don't you understand that Loki is the answer, that he can bring you out of the eternal dark and restore what was loss so long ago? A whole culture that only a few of you remember, but that still vibrates in your souls. The Earth was your gift, this planet while intended to be your prison can still be a home, if you let Loki show you the way and bury your vengeance allowing it to mature into hope of a better tomorrow."

"They call you the light, Odin's child... Bringer of light, it is not Loki that will save us, but you. A once mortal little girl, our people swore to protect to cherish the mortals… long ago. You are right Odin betrayed us for the orchard, Man betrayed us for the love of the gods. Our hearts froze long before we were outcast to this icy hell. Betrayal is all we know, he tells us you are his queen. But you remain in your father's house, are you our Queen, Princess Jane?" Hyrrokkin asks with a deep steady voice, wisdom in her observation and question.

Jane shakes her head, knowing she is being tested, and not willing to lie- to do so could cost them everything. "No. I am not." Jane admits and she hears Loki's curse in her ear, his hold tightens when Suttung laughs- a deep rolling rumble that makes the ground shake. "I like her. There is fight in her...small little creature... She is honest...sincere...which is more than I can say of our king. She will keep him from murdering us all."

"You are the creator of the light? Isn't that right?" It is Gunnlod that asks this her face filled with wonder as she looks at Jane, Jane nods stiffly knowing she speaks of the solar paneling and not actual light, but then to them perhaps it is one in the same.

"Not our queen, it seems our King has a reputation for lies, but you are honest are you not?" Angrboda asks with a flutter of eye lashes.

"How could I possibly reassure you of such a claim? My father is Odin and my brother is Loki, I am surrounded by liars." Jane states knowing this woman particularly does not like her.

Angrboda quirks an eyebrow in response.

But it is Helblindi that provides the solution." It is very easy, you will answer my question with a single word and in it we will hear the truth."

Jane tries not to smile this was a game she had played before. "I understand."

"I believe my brother announcing you as his queen was premature anticipation of want more than a blatant lie. From your body language and interactions with our ordained leader it is safe to assume that you do not like him let alone trust him yourself. Therefore it is unlikely that you have any intention of ever becoming our queen- So If you have no political reason to care what happens to us, why are you here trying to save a planet of monsters, led by a man you see as the worse kind of monster?"

All eyes are on her, Jane can feel the unevenness of Loki's breath against her neck, his silence distracting as she considers the question of what is really being asked and what single word would best explain her reasons, her purpose for allowing herself to be dragged into this world and political mess. She thinks of the giants of the one that still need to heal like Suttung and Helblindi and then of the ones eager to move forward such as Angrboda and Hyrrokkin. Even Gunnlod who had the hopes of a teenager, anticipation and enjoyment over new discovery. And then the word comes to her the one she needs the one the room seems to holding their breath in anticipation for. Jane lets it roll off her tongue in sweet surrender, watching as Helblindi's eyes narrow the corner of his lip twitching upward in amusement.

A single word achieving wonders such as gaining Loki five more allies.

_**Recover**_

It is late by the time dinner is over and the guest leave. Hyrrokkin and Gunnlod particularly seem to have taken a liking to Jane while the others hardly spoke to her again- they watched her like a hawk eyeing its prey.

Loki stays beside her the whole time, his arm around her in one fashion or another, rather of personal desire or something more, did not matter, it offered Jane a sense of security she would otherwise been without.

Loki offers to take her home, but Jane has not been able to make it to her solar panels yet and when she asks him to take her there instead he kindly informs her it would have to wait that it is too dark and the air too cold to take her out in.

Jane doesn't even wonder if she had been tricked to spend the night by Loki until she is tucked in bed, drifting off to sleep.

Loki takes her to the planet's core the following morning, the air still cold but warm enough he claims she will be safe if bundled up. She wears her red boots and Loki smirks when he sees them on her feet.

"Those boots are Earth's one redeeming quality." He claims watching her set up the pulse to the core. A device that Jane invented to slowly melt the planet's core over the next millennia. She simply had to set it up and leave it, changing the power source every thousand years. Eventually, if Jane's theory is correct, the ecosystem will adjust and Jotunheim will mirror Earth's own seasonal climate over the course of a ten year span allowing the planet to remain fertile.

Jane again explains this to Loki as she checks the solar panel components, Loki standing with his arms behind his back watching her work him nodding at the appropriate times. When Jane is happy with the settings she stands brushing the snow off her pants and for the first time truly taking in her surroundings.

There is a patch of grass as large as small town, a single building huge in stature to house the tallest of Giants, and the rest is farm land. Rows of green Kale, beets, carrots, collards, and cabbage enough to feed the giant's dwindling population well into the next few months. Jane wonders if Loki has also take advantage of none defrosted areas in keeping food fresh for longer use.

The land scape is breathtaking, so pure and untouched in a glorious way, there is a waterfall that cascades down a mountain to the left of the farm land and the aqueducts along the rows of vegetable beds that is inspiring that Loki again has though things through to a level Jane had not anticipated.

Loki offers her a tour of the school and Jane early agrees allowing him to tuck her arm in his and lead her from one class room to another. The classes are more than just numbers and letters, Loki explains how he has set up a program that introduces the giants to different professions and allows them to try their hands at different skills so they can find what they are good at. He explains that there is still an army, a fighting force but they are made up of only the most loyal and skilled fighters. Loki brags of a giant by the name of Ervin that gave him the idea of nurturing individual skills. He then speaks of Gunnlod and her natural gift in the garden, and of how with very little encouragement, Helblindi learned to read and write at a rate that made Loki wonder if it was a skill his brother had once had but forgot over time with lack of use. Loki then spoke of scrolls he found in trunks that had been buried in the land they had overturned for the garden and an object that no one knew what it was or where it came from. He spoke longingly of how he had no time to translate them or to examine the artifact found. This most of all piqued Jane's interest and before the end of the day she was in Loki's work room examining the object and translating the scrolls.

The Scrolls were old histories much like Odin's bed time stories filled with warnings and caution, but most of all it had an information about the ice casket and how it's power had not always been of ice and snow, that it mirrored the power of the giant's king and that it only responded to the rightful heir.

The last part was common enough knowledge but the first part gave something for Jane to think about, to consider. She wonders who the last king was that had harnessed the ice casket's power, knowing that she would need to figure it out to fully understand what the story meant that the casket mirror's the king's power.

One discover lead to a thirst for knowledge that leads to a pattern of living that Jane could scarcely anticipate when she offered to help Loki willingly leaving her home and betrothed for a single day that quickly evolved into six months. Loki was a courteous keeper, making sure she ate and slept offering sound advice and willingly showing her what powers he obtained from the ice casket. He took into consideration Orion's needs as well always making sure the hound hand a bone to chew on, a bowl to drink out of and a warm place by the fire. Loki spent all his free time with her sifting through scrolls and books and all round being a good lab rat for her theories.

When Loki is not able to be Jane's guard, it is either Skadi or Hyrrokkin that stay at her side along with Orion, who both giantess at first eye as food, but quickly accept him when the dog shows what a good hunter he is. None of the others have talked to her or approached her since the night of the banquet though Helblindi particularly will watch her if they are in the same facility. Jane doesn't once think of Fandral while she is gone and what's worse she doesn't even miss Asgard until Thor shows up to the palace, with lady Sif and the warriors three in tow.

Their reunion is boisterous and when Fendral pulls her into his arms and gives her a through kiss, Jane is surprised at the guilt that lingers after. Loki is smiling a chill dangerous smile that is all lies to cover up the hurt that lingers in his eyes. Jane pulls away from Fandral and hugs Thor then Sif before planting herself between them, currently the safest spot for her. Thor declares she is needed at home, that her absence has been missed and that with her wedding fast approaching she must return to Asgard for the preparations. Again the guilt is there as she glances to Loki from under her eye lashes, still he smiles claiming innocence when Thor accuses him half-jokingly that their brother tried to kidnap Jane. Loki is good at hiding how he really feels, Jane wonders if that had been his intention to bring her here with the rue of needing her help only to ensnare her curiosity and keep her here a willing participating in her own abduction. Sif accompanies her to pack her things leaving the men alone, Jane looks back over her shoulder as she is ushered out of the room to witness Fandral punch Loki square in the face, Thor standing by with his arms crossed, unmoving to intervene.

Jane finds her female sensibility insulted, clearly Fandral needed a reminder that she was not his property.

Sif is silent until they reach Jane's chambers, the warrior woman looking around a fierce hardness to her features.

"You have not been hurt, you would tell me if Loki did anything to you..." Sif demanded as sweetly as the warrior woman could. Jane rolled her eyes a smile on her face.

"Loki has been a perfect gentleman, this is my own chambers, I share with only Orion and Thor trained him as an apt guard. My virtue is intact." Jane reassures and Sif nods her expression remaining hard.

"I cannot imagine anyone wanting to stay here, in this icy hell. It makes me wonder what tricks Loki has played to keep you distracted and all to himself." Sif states her eyes remaining on Jane.

"You accuse him out right, when surly this is just a misunderstanding. Time passes differently for you. Six months may as well be a moment in your existence, yet you act as if he has kept me locked away for a thousand years. Loki can be kind." Jane defends him.

Sif snorts.

"Loki is only kind when it suits his end. Do not think he loves you. He loves only himself...he wants what you can offer him, the kind of science he does not understand the kind that has done the impossible for this planet. He is playing you, Jane, I have known him a long time and I am not blinded by his nature the way Thor is and the way I see you are. Loki does not have friends for a reason." Sif informs her and Jane again wonders if Loki has been playing her all for the sake of what she can offer, science, allies, and a powerful name that he shares a partial value in. Could every word he says and action he takes be small plays in a larger game, a game she doesn't even know the rules to? Jane shakes her head, clearly she needs to return home. Being here has blinded her to the real Loki. This one with his shared smiles, attentive affections, and joined thirst for knowledge could very well be a real danger, her forgetting what he is only seeing the mirage, the Loki her heart was softening to, the one she had admired as a girl.

"I want to go home." Jane's voice cracks with emotion.

"Of course, my princess." Sif says hugging her friend.

Loki is furious when Jane announces she is leaving. "No! What of the ice casket and your research?" He asks reaching out to take her arm, Thor is standing there between them.

"You have kept our sister long enough, do your own research, mother needs her at home. She is to be married within the fortnight." Thor reminds Loki there is a pity in his voice that Loki's rage locks onto.

"Ah yes, father is eager to be rid of her now she has no use to him. Give her to another like useless chattel, property that needs an owner." Loki seethes his face consorted in rage.

This is the monster that had been caged this whole time, that had been quieted and content. She takes a step back and into Sif's arms. Loki turns his expression instantly shifting when he sees her fear. "Jane..." He says her name like a caress but this does nothing to calm her the last months having been all in vain as she stares at him remembering who he truly is.

"I'm sorry..." he begins but it is clear that the damage is done. Still he takes a step toward her, his head tilted his face shamed. "You have time, there is no reason for you to choose, not yet." Loki is practically begging.

"She made her choice, frost giant." Fandral announces strutting over to put his arm around Jane only she move away from him too before he can touch her.

"I want to go home." She says again this time to her big brother, with his kind blue eyes directed on her. Thor nods taking her hand and looking up, "Heimdall" Thor says the gate keepers name and light engulfs them carrying them back home.

**Broken hearts**

Jane returns home lost, she does not know what she wants and when Fandral demands her company the next morning for breakfast Jane sits next to him like a ghost of herself wondering what it was about him that she had once found so appealing. He does not ask her opinion but forces his own on her, and more than before he is eager to catch her up on all the details of his life since they have been parted.

When Figga arrives with samples of ribbons, lace, and colors for a wedding dress Jane goes through the motions not fooling her mother of her indifference. Frigga is speaking of dress styles a topic Fandral seems overly interested in, and when the queen hands Jane a golden ribbon of satin, Jane looks down at the fabric between her fingers and all she can think of is Loki.

Fandral's voice suddenly seems too high and whinny, his stature too short, his hair too blond and his smile too open. Jane looks up tilting her head looking at the swords man.

"It doesn't matter." Jane announces interrupting what the warrior was saying. Fandral laughs like she did not just insult him and continues with his story. Frigga lays her hand over Janes and smiles lovingly giving her support for what she knew Jane was about to do.

"None of it matters." Jane again says looking more alert than she had all morning. "Nothing that comes out of your mouth ever does. Trapped forever in your own insipid vanity what a tedious existence." Jane says standing, the golden ribbon still in hand when she turns and walks away.

Figga begins to pack up the wedding samples while Fandral sits there silent watching the way Jane just walked off in. When he notices Frigga packing up he places his hands over the book she tries to close.

"There are decisions that still need to be made." Fandral says looking up the queen whose smile has a strange likeness to the adopted prince.

"My daughter has already made the decisions for this wedding." The queen replies sweetly.

Fandral looks confused when the queen bids him good day.

**Valiant effort**

Jane is pacing in front of Thor and Sif, her two confidants; it seems she is so wired she will explode if she stills for even a moment

"I have yet to see the Collations runes, and what of the Nova Empire or the Collector...There is so much I want to do and Loki is right I have time. Time to see it all and to study the stars, the ice caskets and perhaps father will even let me study the tesseract in time." Jane babbles looking to Thor with excitement.

"The Nova Empire is dangerous, Jane. So is the tesseract no one understands it, I cannot protect you from something I do not understand." Thor replies with cautious words. Jane smiles again rolling her eyes like his observation is ridiculous.

"You all have protected me, now it's time to allow me the freedom to find out what I want. Father is so dead set on marring me, but if I am now immortal, what is the rush? Why must I find a husband, when you, yourself are still unwed. I want to travel, see universes I have heard of but never seen, visit libraries long lost. I want to fool around with a boy and kiss whomever I want without the expectations of royalty. I don't understand the need for me to court anyone, and when I find someone I do not think it necessary to go through all the royal trappings of getting to know them with picnics and feasts. I want to fall in love while no one is watching." Jane practically shouts filled throwing her arms in the air as if to emphasis her point.

"I understand that, Jane, but what do you suppose I should tell father and mother?" Thor asks.

"That I should not marry until you. You are the future king after all, I am simply an adoptive daughter, A smart match for you is clearly the more pressing issue. Besides you have been dragging your feet for how long? You could at least give me enough time to find someone I love, not necessarily someone Odin declares suitable." Jane begs. Thor smiles and Sif looks uncomfortable by their discussion.

"I will see what I can do." He declares, Jane throws her arms around him and kisses his cheek, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she declares between kisses. He is smiling happy with himself.

Odin announces Jane's broken betrothal before the end of the day, having believed Frigga too eager to read into Jane's actions earlier that day seeing how the queen had never approved of the match. Later when Thor came to him, Odin realizes that the betrothal really is over, Jane's romantic notions of love would be her own undoing. When Thor requested for Jane to be allowed to examine the tesseract, Odi was shocked denying the request outright. But days later he begins to see the wisdom in the request. For the purpose of Jane's destiny he had urged all of Yggdrasil to spill their secrets into a single vessel building his daughter into a righteous scholar filled with more knowledge than any other, if any were to uncover the secrets of the tesseract it would be the Goddess of Wisdom.


	6. Chapter 6

**Play it on Repeat**

Frigga insisted she wear ribbons in her hair and a dress of blue silk. Jane had tried to explain the irrationality of such a thing, she was no longer a little girl and silk was not an ideal attire while doing research. Still Frigga will have her way and when Jane is allowed down to the vaults she immediately greeted with an unnatural pull towards the Tesseract- suddenly the scientist is uncaring how she is dressed.

The Tesseract hummed an enchanting melody, calling Jane like a moth to a flame, a beating heart so beautiful in all its glory that one simply wants to reach out and touch it and not once had it occurred to the Goddess of Wisdom that it could be a very bad idea to give into that basic instinct.

Shadows of blood and sorrowful surround her the moment her fingers brushed the glowing cube, gone was the melody, gone was the radiant blue light, gone was the warm beating heart, in its place was the darkness fading to echoes as violent images materializing before her very eyes.

The location was oddly familiar an underground science laboratory on Earth a replica of the same one she had spent days in catching up with Erik Selvig, an old college of her fathers. The lab was a mess, tables over turn, equipment smashed, dead bodies on the cold ground, but it was the frozen images of two people that were painfully familiar to Jane which held her attention.

A dark haired man with angular features dressed in green, the look of fury on his face matching the grip on the golden staff that he had plunged into the chest of a small woman, with chestnut hair and an all too familiar face. Jane could not believe her eyes it was Loki and herself, motionless like living statues before her, in part she realizes that this must be a different reality then the scene sets in motion, as the other her gasps in pain, and this Loki's face morphs from purpose filled rage to a depth of regret she had never before seen on her mentor's face.

This Loki's hand reaching up to cradle a dyeing Jane's head, so much tenderness following such violence.

It is there, written on his face as he watches her die, the words they exchange muted, and there is a tear on Loki's cheek the moment the other Jane breathes her last breath, then he is lowering her to the ground, his fingers slip through her hair, and Jane almost believes- that she herself can feel the action. Then Loki turns and is facing Thor, massive Thor with so much hate dancing in his blue eyes it is only matched with the raw emotions in Loki's.

The scene fades to black and Jane is standing on the edge of the world, there beyond her is the cosmos alone, the beauty so unimaginable, she looks back over her shoulder in hope to share it with someone, anyone. Behind her is Thor, his mouth set in a firm line his legs braced apart his arms crossed over him as he yells at another man, one with a towering presences, Loki simply is looking to her taking Thor's anger in strides.

"You have brought the Ragnarok upon us brother, you and your greed has murdered us all." Thor's booming voice reaches Jane and she tilts her head in confusion, no they stopped the Ragnarok, the universe was safe from Loki.

Only when Jane looks back across the cosmos she sees the approaching armies, the darkness that consumes all and leading destruction in, is a man with purple skin, a square jaw, and death in his eyes.

"Thanos has come to collect what you promised him, death will forever be his mistress. How could you? You have not just destroyed me and Asgard, brother, but you have destroyed yourself, and all you have worked for while under your vale of tricks." Thor scorns the discontentment among the brothers a faint memory to Jane, one that had worked its self out decades ago in her own reality. This nightmare could not be real, not now, not after everything. This was hell- to watch powerless as everything you love is turned to ash.

Loki simply sneers his attention is on her or is it on the approaching army? It is hard to tell and Jane can only watch as destruction rains down on them, the monster Thanos with a mighty gauntlet of gems that glitter among the stars, a personified vision of the apocalypse.

The humming grows louder the closer Thanos and his army get, the melody back- mixing in a with the beating drum of the call to war and Jane can see the music materialize and swirl in reds, purples, blues, oranges, greens, and yellow. The red the strongest beating in tune with Jane's heart and the blue dances in the ensemble leading the others to bend and dance to the melody it creates. The red is the channel that the rest must pass through. There is yelling behind Jane, long fingers grip her shoulder and she looks up her eyes meeting green ones, fear etched into Loki's face when she shrugs out of his hold. She knows what she must do, the red belongs to her- the heart is the same beat as her own. She holds out her hands to welcome it back home and silence snatches away as the red in Thanos' gauntlet surges forth reclaiming its former vessel, filling up the human girl with comfort and ease- a new sound hums as it sings of its homecoming.

Jane sees the darkness manifested as everything is painted in red. The Aether it reminds her and she knows that this other life of hers, this one she never lived, but she knows just the same and she remembers the Aether and Thor, her lover…not brother… Loki- she is not sure what role he fills in her life within this reality…perhaps he is no one and this hurts in a way she does not understand.

Thanos' rage pulls the Aether's attention and it raises its arms like welcoming a friend.

"Avatar of Death, have you came at last to feel the harsh embrace of your master?" the Aether asks, Jane's own conscious takes a backseat as she is trapped to watch her own body become host, her voice used in a startling way -as if three of her were speaking simultaneously.

"I have come to collect my due, no more than what your prince promised me in return, if I aided him in his playground squabble with his brother." Thanos sneers.

"A silver tongue is not worth the words it speaks. You trust the promises of a liar, which would make you a fool." The Aether states, causing Jane to gasp in horror.

But Thanos smiles, "Only a fool if I don't stand by my own promises for retribution if his words do not become actions."

"Listen well Mad Titan, you have no power here, your glove of stolen gems will not help you. This is your last chance, take your army home before death becomes the only comforting memory to the torment I will unleash upon you."

Thanos laughs, "Mortal creature you are no threat, but I hope you survive the modification process, I am in need of a new daughter."

An inhuman battle cry fills her ears and before Jane can grasp what caused it, blurs of gold and green spring through the air- scraps of metal in his grasp as Loki throws a knife at the enemy. Jane is not quick enough to react; Thanos' raises his gauntlet and the surge of its power focused on Loki. The god of mischief is knocked out of the heaves and out into the abyss, then the gauntlet is turned on her and its power barreling towards her. But Jane is not the one in charge, the Aether is and the Aether protects its host creating pathways around it to guide the infinity stones' light through, guiding it up and out back to the enemies, back to the threat. Jane can hear their music all at once as their power surrounds her, none of them are happy to be used, to be bend to another's will of destruction and chaos. Jane can see the souls, the faces of the beings that were once each of these precious prisms of power. The red the soul of the cleaver queen of the dark elves, the purple a fallen warrior King of immense strength, the blue an old man with deep sorrow etched on his ancient face, the green a beautiful woman with flirtatious eyes, the yellow a bashful youth in his prime, and the orange a joyous child with a crooked smile on her lips. All of them working together to reclaim their free-will to strike down the one that would use them for such ill deeds.

Thanos is surrounded as the light touches him it slowly rips him apart until all that is left is empty space filled with silence, the sound of the power gauntlet falling to the ground is all that remains of the army that had been there moments ago.

The Aether falls silent along with the rest of the stones and Jane has tears on her cheeks when she is pulled around and enveloped by a pair of familiar arms. "Jane." Thor breaths her name and when he reaches down and touches his lips to hers she is shocked, pulling away in aversion.

"You saved us." Thor looks shocked by the realization and Jane tilts her head understanding this is not the Thor she knows, this man is a stranger to her.

"Almost." She tells him thinking of Loki. When Thor moves to pull her back into his arms the infinity stones began to hum again and without warning the Aether surges out of her surrounding her, it's song something different an urgency to it as it calls the others and they too surge out surrounding her, pushing Thor back, as they sing. _You Are Worthy, You Are Worthy_… then the pain bleeds from her heart to her head her own song of pain fills the air…and there is darkness.

The light slowly infuses the plain and Jane blinks disoriented standing in pure light it takes a moment for her eyes to adjust, for her mind to catch back up with everything that took place. She had done a lot of studying over her life time, about magic and science and the secrets of the universe. She had spent years at the feet of Hemidall watching how the cultures of each realm thrived, she spent an infinite time with a Time Lord and had experienced paradoxes before, other realities and yet she is still not entirely sure how all of what has happened never did happen. She never died at the hand of Loki, she never saved the universe while containing the Aether and she most certainly never kissed her own brother. Then the darkness comes and like looking through a rip in the fabric of time Jane can see a road the night sky of Earth its backdrop and Jane watches as a white car drives by with a family singing happily, a small child in the backseat playing with a stuffed octopus. Jane gasps tears in her eyes and then a man dressed in greens and gold materializes in the middle of the road and there is no way to stop the car crash from happening. Still Jane screams, watching the defining moment of her life in slow motion and through the horror Jane realizes the why…why every nightmare she had witnessed never took place because a dark haired god was flung from the heavens and caused a car crash that defined a mortal little girl.

Perhaps it was never a choice, she was always destined to face off with Loki. Her life thoroughly intertwined with Thor, Loki, and Asgard no matter what reality existed. In a way it gave her comfort, to know that some choices are really not choices at all. Sometimes the choice is between two evils and you have to pick the one you can live with. This time it is between three and Jane knows this choice does not belong to her…Loki stands in front of her his heart in his eyes and he looks like he just traveled through Hel and back.

This was Loki's choice, Jane had already made hers, back on Earth when she ate the apple, and it had been her choice even if she hadn't understood at the time why she made it.

The Tesseract in one of her hands and a golden apple in the other…now Loki is standing before her shrouded in darkness- she is bathed in light.

"It's your choice Loki. It's always been your choice. It all begins on the side of the road with a family taking a trip to a planetarium. But you have to decide soon- the paradox cannot sustain and like you have seen it will all restart or become a permit fixated point." Jane tells him, her words filled with conviction because she finally understood.

"What will?" Loki asks unsure, his eyes down cast and Jane doesn't have to wonder if this is real, because his emotions are.

"Me and the Ragnarok- me and Thor- or ..."

"Or what?" He shouts looking at her afraid and Jane's heart swells at his vulnerability.

"Or I eat this apple and we find out what's behind door number three." She tells him knowing she already made this decision, knowing for her this has already transpired, for him it is still happening.

Loki looks at her with tears in his eyes and she sees a renewed strength building just below the surface.

She knows his choice before he makes it, a choice that like hers had been already made, but she prays that she is not too late to make him see that it was her that had been blinded unable to see through the veil of the past.

Loki turned the cube in his hand, the decision made. "Will you wait form me?" He asked.

Jane smiles knowing he does not believe her real, to him she must be a dream that he does not wish to wake from. How cruel she has been, not realizing how much he love her, in his way. "Only if you tell me you like me, even if just a little." Jane teases.

A single tear falls, Jane can't hold it back and Loki is looking at her in awe like she is the most beautiful being in all the universe. His emotions laid bare as he allows himself what honesty he can afford to a dream he does not believe to be real.

"Yes, Jane, I admit defeat, you I like." His voice is horse and she realizes that what he means to say is I love you.

Only before she can respond Jane is opening her eyes and staring into the worried faces of her family.

**New Beginnings**

Figga comes to Jane with knowing eyes, a small rectangular box in hand when the queen finds her daughter in her work room. Jane turns to give her mother her full attention removing her safety goggles to meet her mother's eyes.

"I have a gift, something to keep you safe during your quest." Frigga tell her setting the blue box wrapped with a golden ribbon in front of her.

"I was going to tell you." Jane says, unable to meet Frigga's eyes when confessing her secret.

"I know. You have been hard at work and a mother notices. You would tell me in your own time but I wanted to make sure I gave you what protection I could." Frigga states motioning to the box. Jane stands moving to unwrap it. Inside is a thin circle of gold, the simplest design for a crown Jane has ever seen. She looks up at Frigga who is smiling, the queen reaching over picking up the gift carefully before turning towards Jane and slipping it on Jane, down to rest against her forehead just above her eyebrows.

"Let Thor and Loki have their armor, for you my daughter you deserve something far more elegant." Frigga declares stepping back to admire the vision Jane makes in the gift.

Jane touches the light metal with a smile of her own, "What is it?" Jane asks curious of Frigga's words.

"It's a special kind of armor made by the dwarfs for their favorite princess. It will protect you from weapons and magic alike. Never take it off unless you are sure you are safe. It is like an energy field – invisible unless needed and undetectable unless threatened." Figga informs and Jane throws herself into her mother's arms hugging her in thanks.

Odin did not take the news of her departure nearly as well, he sat on his throne stern expression as Jane explained the mission the Tesseract gave her and how she would be gone for an unknown time. Odin turned to Figga almost accusing and when the queen said nothing All father turned to Thor. "I expect you plan to accompany your sister." Odin states and when Thor shakes his head Odin looks grim.

"She cannot go alone." Odin declared looking worried that no one was going to accompany her.

"Father, Jane is a woman and this is her mission, she will be fine on her own." Thor reassured their father looking proudly to his sister. Jane nods in thanks to Thor's confidence before adding her own voice.

"The way I travel will be strained with any more than two. I am taking Orion- he will be protection enough and if there is a need I can always teleport home, I must do this father, surly you understand I must undertake this mission, a mission given to me by the Tesseract." Jane asks looking to the king for his understanding.

Odin nods gravely still the sorrow in his eyes is heavy. "Asgard will always be your home. I understand that this is the path you must take, I only wish you did not have to take it alone." Odin reassures her.

"Many adventures began alone, who knows how many friends I will make on the way. " Jane states not believing her own words. With this mission she is more liking to gain enemies than allies.

**Angel from my Nightmares**

Jane's first destination is Jotunheim- eager to see Loki before she begins her quest.

It is Helblindi that greets her with a grim expression his appearance still far more intimidating that anything that Loki could pull off. "It pleases me that you have returned, the light does not last as long as it did in the beginning. The temperatures are dropping and we are losing crops. Our people are frighten and our king has isolated himself within his work room unwilling to speak to anyone…not even Skadi." The giant explained looking to her with hope in his eyes.

It put Jane even more on edge.

"How long has this been going on?" Jane asks wondering why word was not sent sooner to Asgard that Loki needed help.

"Since you left, I suppose. It escalated when word from Odinson arrived a fortnight ago I was not permitted to read the missive, but I was there when King Loki did. He was happy, joyous even then he became angry throwing the message in the fire before closing himself off in his room, declaring it was hopeless." Helblindi shared walking with Jane to Loki's castle.

"Loki said that it was hopeless?" Jane asks watching Helblindi nod affirming his words.

"Fool of a man, nothing is ever hopeless. Sometimes a different path is needed." Jane says reaching out to open the massive castle doors, Helblindi beats her to it opening the door and bowing his head like a servant to a queen. This makes Jane feel nervous entering the castle, the door shuts and Jane realizes she is alone, Helblindi leaving her without a word. Perhaps he said all he needed to. Orion runs off no doubt in search of the bone he left last time they were here, at least he felt at home in this massive glass museum. Jane makes her way to Loki's workroom, letting herself in without invitation.

Lokis work room is in shambles the table over turned paper and scrolls littered the floor alongside broken glass and melted candle wax. He is sitting crouched in the farthest corner in Ice giant form, hair disheveled holding onto the ice casket. He looks up when she enters his blood shot eyes widen in surprise. "Jane." He whispers her name and she smiles fondly at him closing the door behind her.

"You look awful." She tells him walking carefully over to his side kneeling in front of him purposefully schooling her features to not reflect the pity she feels.

He looks pained "You should not have come. Jane, you could curse me from Asgard...please don't...I already know..." his words trail off as he looks up at her his own guilt swimming in his red eyes.

"I understand." She tells him reaching out to brush long dark hair from his face.

"How could you? I murdered your parents. You should hate me." He tell her closing his eyes against the forgiveness he sees in hers.

"The Tesseact showed me what would happen if they had lived. You would have eventually destroyed not only Earth but Asgard as well. I saw the destruction you brought -whatever realities that could have been were not what the infinity stones wanted to transpire- they were not what the cosmos need. Thanos seeking his revenge for a promise you made him in the second reality was only stopped because of the connection the Aether had to me...it preferred me. But it made me see- to understand not only the purpose of our existence but want the scrolls had meant when they spoke of the ice casket. "

At this Loki opened his eyes looking confused. "Thanos?" He asks and Jane tilts her head just so realizing perhaps the Tesseract had not shared that reality with him.

"Yes. The Tesseract called him the Titan of death. You promised him the Tesseract if he helped you conquer earth...only you fail and Thano's wrath found you in Asgard. It was awful, and because of the Tesseract it will never come to pass. Even now the infinity stones call to me, I have a mission, but first..." Jane's words trail off her eyes drift to Loki's lips even in his ice giant form he is still beautiful, Jane leans forward pressing her lips to his.

Loki shifts, placing the ice casket on the floor at his side before pulling Jane to him, her willingly straddling his lap as she adjusts herself more comfortably. His hands are cradling her head, fingers threaded in her hair, hers are braced along his shoulders as she presses herself more into him, kissing him with a passion that had been building for twenty years. When they break apart he is back to looking sly and cocky, his eyes are green and his skin pale ivory, his crooked smile speaking louder than words.

"I have a theory, would you help me prove it?" Jane asks is a compelling voice, treading his long fingers through her own.

"For you anything." He tells her in husky voice that makes Jane laugh before she kisses him again, placing his hand on the ice casket, her hand on top of his as she slips her tongue between his lips and kisses him in a way she learned on Earth.

They touch and kiss, exploring each other with lips and a single hand. Loki buries his nose in the crook of Janes should and just holds her before kissing a trail back up to her lips, his free hand combing through her hair in a simple gesture of love. Jane smiles kissing the end of his nose, his eye lids, his cheek, his jaw line all the places she had wanted to, to touch but had been too afraid to try because of his wrath.

When they finish exploring Jane is the first to notice that the ice casket is no longer a frosty blue that put a chill in ones bones just by looking at it. Now it was a pure white, soft glowing with a hue of the purest light.

Loki looks at it surprised clearly unsure of what it means.

Jane stands offering to help Loki up, who accepts courteously lifting the casket up to examine.

"Why did it change?" Loki asks still feeling the pull of the casket and the power it holds to be too concerned.

"Because I melted your icy heart." Jane tells him with a saucy grin. The corny line makes Loki chuckle no matter how true her words are.

"Helblindi said the crops were suffering, I should check on my solar panel before night fall, if you don't mind it would be nice to spend tonight here before I head off only my quest." Jane requests pink cheeked.

"You are always welcome here." Loki tells her wrapping one arm around her, the other holding the casket of power.

They walk arm in arm back out his work room in the direction of the back doors where Loki established the farm lands. They speak of Jane's mission to find the infinity stones and providing a safe haven for them away from those that would abuse their power, such as Thanos. Loki is shocked to discover Jane is planning on going alone. He argues with her that she must take at least once guard, offering Skadi. Jane's response again in is that she has Orion.

Loki clearly does not believe that adequate for protection for anyone least of all her.

When they reach doors two being neither Loki nor Jane have ever seen are waiting for them. The first is a giant of a man as big as Helblindi with pale white skin and a bald head. His eyes are a dark green and there is a tilt to his lips that is strangely familiar. He is half satyr, his feet hooved, his legs covered in fur. He as horns that grow from the top of his head down around his ears like ram. The second is a woman of dark olive skin, with hair so blond it is almost white, her eyes are deep violet and she is wearing armor with clasp of iron in her hair. The woman's expression is one of distrust and when she turns to look at them, it is Loki that realizes the two are not strangers at all but it is Helblindi and Skadi.

Loki furred his brows as he looks at them, and Jane wonders what he makes of the change in their appearance.

"What happened?" Loki asks looking to them like they should have the answer.

Skadi shakes her head, but it is Helblindi that answers. "The light has come to our people once more, for the first time in five million years I feel warm, brother."

Loki looks completely caught off guard that Helblindi would call him brother. "Come my king, greet your people." Skadi intercedes throwing open the doors of Loki's castle to find the courtyard filled with large giants, of a variety of hues for skin, from pale ivory or the lightest blue to fiery reds and dark browns. The runes of their people still etched into their skin but the color ranged from a faint blue, to a deep brown, or a pale pink. Jotunheim it's self even seemed to have melted, the ground a hard mud with patches of grass, a large ocean along the horizon where the frozen canyon had once been with an artificial sun off in the horizon overlooking fields of crops and a massive school.

Jane was speechless it was more than she had imagined or anticipated. It was more than she had hoped for and when she moved to stand beside Loki- the crowd that had gathered, hushed and then in a roar of celebration they all called out to the bringer of light, and goddess of wisdom, for with her she brought the knowledge of warmth, a concept the frost giants had not realized they missed.

**You and Me...Won't be Unhappy**

Jane stood with Orion by her side with her satchel on her back. A single night with Loki was all she could afford as the song of the infinity stones hummed louder she had to begin her quest. She snuck out before Loki awoke, unable to tell him good bye yet again. In theory once her quest was complete they would have forever, but forever was a concept that Jane could hardly wrap her head around.

She had a destiny that she had not asked for but had chosen just the same. She had to find the infinity stones and she would start with the Aeather the one that thanks to the visions of the other realities, she was the most familiar with outside the Tesseract. The Tesseract was a solid ally allowing her to create a transmitter to it so that she needed its assistance on her journey it could communicate with her through its essence that lived in one of the charms on her bracelet.

Jane didn't know when the next time she would see Loki, he offered to be a safe haven an unlikly place she could return to if needed if it was too dangerous to return to Asgard. But she could hear his unspoken words…choose me…come home to me. She touched the fourth charm on her bracelet a small castle made of glass, then the one beside it a glowing blue cube the size of her pinky nail the means of her travel. The Tesseract called to her even from its safe place in Asgards vaults, _it's time to find them_, it hummed. _Time to bring the family home_.

Jane looked back to Loki's castle in the horizon, then with bitter sweet resign she took ahold of Orion's collar and pressed down to teleport on the charm.

There is a ruckus to the right and before Jane can teleport Loki is beside her wrapping his arm around her waist as she dematerializes taking him and Orion with her. They land in the dark catacombs of the dark world, and Jane curses pulling free of Loki Looking at him like he is crazy.

"What the hell are you doing?" She asks throwing her arms in the air glaring at his shameful conduct.

"I'm coming with you. I won't have you going on this quest of yours without someone to guard your back." Loki tells her like he's bored and her theatrics are a waste of his time.

Jane purse her lips and quirks an eyebrow, long gone is the young woman that can be intimidated by that sneer of his.

"You have a kingdom to rule, _your highness_. The destiny you always wanted, to be a king. A king is not allowed adventures to gallivant across the cosmos as a body guard." Jane declares, again Loki simply looks at her like she is speaking a language he doesn't care to hear.

"How many of Odin's bed time stories did you listen to, Jane. That is the definition of a king. Going on quest and to war for the profound glory or love of a woman. I am doing both. I can't allow you to become a martyr before you give me an heir." Loki reasons. It is clear by Jane's furious expression she does not care for his argument.

"I don't remember agreeing to have your children." Jane tells him hand on hip, Orion recognizing his mistress tone stands to attention.

"That's because I haven't asked you. There is still a bit of wooing I would like to get in before tricking you into becoming my queen… I mean asking." Loki amended due to her furious expression.

"You cannot be here." Jane tells him crossing her arms in front of her deciding that while seconds ago she had been forlonged about leaving him, right now he was back to being his arrogant, annoying self and a universe between them might actually make her like him a bit more at this moment.

"I can go where ever I want, my little Jane. And I want to stalk your every step to insure you return home in one piece." Loki informed her moving to towered over her in that shamefully useless intimidation ploy of his.

"Whose home? Your's or mine." She asks turning her back to him, and walking towards a tunnel that was calling to her like a beating heart.

"Ours- Jotunheim belongs to you as much as it does to me. Our people wait our returned, creatures that found redemption and now need a purpose. Odin took their power and now we will bring purpose by achieve your mission and give the giant's something to truly protect. Never mind unworthy mortals or an apple orchard." Loki says his eyes swirling with greed of power and Jane knows that look.

"You might as well be the last person in the universe I would trust with an infinity stone." Jane tell him and he smiles that crooked smile of his.

"And that my pet is one of the many reason why you complete me." Loki states kissing her forehead like she is a child and he is teaching her an important life lesson, then he throws his arm around her leading the way like he too can hear the call of the Aether.

* * *

A.N: This is the end of this story that happened to be three chapters longer than I had wanted and went in a direction I had not anticipated. I currently have no intention of adding more- there are other projects I would like to occupy my time with. Yes I know there are probably typos…I wrote most of this on my tablet that does not have spell check or auto correct so I really did try to amend mistakes but as I pointed out in my crossovers my brain auto corrects for me so I don't catch all of them…and I don't have the want to use a beta. I really do like reviews and I hope somewhere out there someone enjoyed reading this story. Thank you for reading.


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